VIDEO l 4:39 mins

The serial suspension of opposition elected representatives is a sign of BN's desperation in the face of mounting scandals and eroding support, says PKR vice-president N Surendran.

"The rash of recent suspensions is deliberate, and intended to intimidate and silence robust and principled opposition in our country.

NONE "It highlights the utter inability of the BN to debate issues of national importance fairly and rationally, without resorting to brute force," Surendran, the Padang Serai MP, said in a media statement.

He was earlier this month slapped with a six-month suspension from Parliament.

Describing the suspensions as a "dangerous threat to democracy", Surendran noted that since Nov 14, he and two other opposition state assemblypersons have been suspended.

"The suspensions have been carried out in a high-handed and undemocratic manner, and without regard to justice, due process or requirements of the standing orders," he said.

In none of these cases, Surendran said, was the complaint referred first for investigation to the Committee of Privileges, as provided for under the standing orders and which is the norm in Commonwealth legislatures.

‘Tyranny of the majority'

"Instead, BN abused the power of majority to mete out punishments without giving the elected representatives an opportunity to answer the baseless charges.

"It is a classic case of ' tyranny of the majority'," he added.

Surendran said the power of legislative chambers to suspend elected representatives was intended only to prevent the obstruction of the legislature in the performance of its functions.

"It is a power to be used sparingly and only after an impartial investigation of the charge. But here, it has been abused by the BN to silence legitimate criticism by opposition elected representatives.

"We have been punished not for obstructing the House, but for fairly criticising the speaker, the government and its policies.

"The trademark intolerance of the BN has now reached a dangerous new level," he added.

In Parliament this afternoon, PKR's Subang MP Sivarasa Rasiah was ordered out of the House by Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia when he raised the demolition of an annexe of the Sri Muneswarar Kaliyaman Temple on Jalan P Ramlee during the committee stage debate on the Budget 2014 allocation for the Federal Territories Ministry.