The Parliament has been accused of making a mountain out of a molehill in the oath-taking controversy involving opposition member Karpal Singh.

Social movement Aliran said the controversy where DAP deputy leader Karpal would be referred to the parliamentary privileges committee for possible disciplinary action did not reflect well on the August body of Parliament, which should be discussing serious affairs of the country.

"Time should be spent on fruitful pursuits instead of dissipating its energy on trivial matters," said Aliran president P Ramakrishnan in a press statement today.

Malaysiakini

today reported that Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi will be tabling a motion in Parliament next week to send the case involving Karpal to the privileges committee for further action.

Abdullah's six-paragraph motion called for the committee to consider and ascertain whether Karpal had made a "false statement and misdirected the House" after the politician cited the wrong Act to protest against parliamentarians for not raising their right hand during the oath-taking ceremony on May 17.

The DAP MP for Bukit Gelugor had cited the Statutory Declarations Act instead of the Oath and Affirmations Act, which does not contain any provision requiring parliamentarians to raise their hand when taking oath.

House Speaker Dr Mohamed Zahir Ismail had subsequently overruled Karpal's protest when the matter was raised in Parliament.

Since then, Karpal had conceded that he made a mistake on the issue at a press conference, and later in Parliament.

Letter demanding explanation

The speaker had nevertheless written a letter to Karpal last Tuesday demanding an explanation, failing which, action would be taken against the MP.

"Karpal was wrong in quoting the wrong law but he was right in insisting that when taking an oath, the right hand must be raised. This was something that has to be observed while taking the oath," said Ramakrishnan.

"It is understood that the speaker himself in a circular letter dated April 8 had informed and reminded parliamentarians to observe this requirement at the oath-taking ceremony."

Ramakrishnan said if Karpal's protest had been upheld, he could be rightly accused of making a "false statement" and having "misdirected the House."

"But this did not take place as the speaker had overruled him. In other words, the speaker had dismissed Karpal's protest as of no significance and of no consequence."

The Aliran president also said if any action was to be taken, it should be directed against the parliamentarians who ignored the speaker's April 8 letter and his instruction requiring them to raise their right hand when taking their oath of office.

"It can be argued that they had not shown any respect to the speaker. Does their conduct warrant any action?"