Bukit Gelugor MP Karpal Singh is looking at a six-month suspension from the Dewan Rakyat, if a motion is passed to sanction him for misleading the House and he maintains his refusal to apologise.

On Monday, the Dewan Rakyat will debate a 14-page report tabled today by the Parliamentary Privileges Committee, setting out grounds for disciplinary action against the veteran opposition politician.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri Abdul Aziz told a press conference that his department would table a motion to enable the debate, following which a vote could be taken the same day.

As more than nine-tenths of parliamentarians are from the Barisan Nasional (BN), there is little to suggest that the motion will be defeated.

"We require a simple majority to pass the recommendation ," said Nazri, who oversees parliamentary affairs.

Should the House accept the committee's recommendations, Karpal will be given three day to tender an apology and then serve out a 10-day suspension from the House, as reported by malaysiakini yesterday.

If he does not tender an apology, he is liable to a six-month suspension and will not be allowed to claim his MP's monthly allowances and other benefits.

In an immediate reaction, Karpal dismissed the possibility that he would apologise.

The committee was tasked to conduct the inquiry into a complaint that Karpal has misled the House over the oath-taking controversy in relation to the swearing in of parliamentarians in May.

Of the six-member bipartisan committee headed by Deputy Speaker Dr Yusof Yacob, only Chong Eng (DAP-Bukit Mertajam) did not endorse the recommendations.

Basis of action

According to the report, the recommendations were based on four grounds.

It said Karpal should have realised his mistake and been willing to apologise for citing the wrong legislation in levelling his accusation. Instead, Karpal professed innocence and blamed others for it.

The report also found that Karpal had "insulted" Speaker Dr Mohamed Zahir Ismail in the exercise of his duties.

"The honourable Bukit Gelugor MP did not respect the House as his action did not accept the Speaker's decision. (Karpal) knew he had made the mistake but refused to apologise," the report said.

"The incident should not have taken place. We should be cordial to one another as we will be in the House for the next five years. The committee hopes (Karpal) will be more careful in future and that he will not make statements in the House before checking."

'Shame to Parliament'

At a press conference later in the Parliament lobby, Karpal maintained that he would not tender an apology.

"The deliberation and recommendations were made in my absence. BN should have a better way of victimising someone...this is too transparent and trivial," he said.

"Since there is no way for me to take the committee to court, I will bring this issue up with the Inter-Parliamentary Union."

He also criticised the recommendation that he be made to apologise and serve a 10-day suspension.

"It is like asking someone to apologise and slapping him as well...you can't do that," he said.

Parliamentary Opposition Leader and DAP chief Lim Kit Siang, who was present, described the recommendations as "biased, vindictive and a shame to Parliament".

"This is utter contempt against an opposition MP," he told reporters, urging the prime minister and his cabinet to reject the report when it is debated.