Parliamentary Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang was ticked off today when the House Speaker ruled that all motions pertaining to the general election will not be entertained until the courts decide on the election petitions that have been filed.

Lim was planning to file a motion according to Standing Order 43 by tomorrow to review Speaker Mohamed Zahir Ismail's decision to strike off the former's earlier motion to impeach the Election Commission (EC) chief and his commissioners.

However, the Speaker told reporters later that his earlier ruling stands and that the opposition leader's new motion will not be debated.

An enraged Lim, who is also DAP chairperson and Ipoh Timor MP, described this as 'ridiculous and prejudging'.

"Whatever it is, it must be debated before the House and decided. It cannot be the Speaker who makes the decision.

"This (upcoming) motion is to ask for a review of the Speaker's decision for disallowing my earlier motion and does not involve a debate on the conduct of the election," he told reporters at the Parliament lobby.

He said it was regretful that the subject concerning the EC and the elections was discussed everywhere except the highest legislature body.

He added that the decision undermined the principle of parliamentary supremacy and doctrine of separation of powers.

Following Saturday's ruling to disallow the motion to impeach, it was removed from today's order paper leading Lim to launch a protest in vain.

The Speaker had ruled that any debate on the election could be subjudicial in view of the election petitions pending in courts nationwide.

Shouting match

Ealier, Lim's party deputy and Bukit Gelugor MP Karpal Singh started a shouting match in the House when he labelled a Barisan Nasional backbencher for behaving like an 'animal' and 'mad' person.

The drama began when Deputy Speaker Dr Yusof Yacob prevented Lim from continuing with his intention to table a motion to seek an amendment to the motion of thanks to the royal address.

Yusof had instructed Lim to take his seat and called up Bung Moktar Radin (BN-Kinabatangan) to start his speech.

An irate Lim then began to argue with the deputy speaker, prompting Bung to shout: "Now is my chance to speak, sit down, listen to me, sit down!".

Karpal then joined in the fray citing Standing Order 36, saying the BN MP had acted in a manner which could hurt the feelings of his peers.

"This is like an animal, this is not the way a parliamentarian acts. This is someone who is mad in the House," he said calmly but then lost his cool when the BN politician kept shouting.

"Shut up and sit down, you shut up and sit down, this person is insane," retorted Karpal.

At this juncture, the deputy speaker intervened and told both MPs to sit down. Bung was latter allowed to proceed with his speech.

Burma caucus

In another development, DAP announced the setting up of a parliamentary caucus to press for the release of Burmese pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

The caucus, has garnered the support of Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri Abdul Aziz and MCA MP Dr Wee Ka Siong.

The duo were also present at the press conference called by Lim to announce the formation of the caucus, which will hold its first meeting on June 8.