Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad wants Dewan Rakyat speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia to challenge the Attorney-General's Chambers' decision to slap a lightweight charge against those who allegedly assaulted him in parliament.

The Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) communications director said the speaker must intervene in order to safeguard the sanctity of parliament.

Speaking at a press conference in parliament today, Khalid said he has penned a letter to Pandikar, in which he stressed that as speaker, Pandikar is responsible for taking care of MPs and the parliament institution.

“I hope he will challenge the AG's Chambers on this.

“In order to safeguard the sanctity of parliament, he as speaker must (ensure) they (the assailants) are charged under Section 124 of the Penal Code (in relation to assaulting a member of parliament).

“If the AG's Chambers insists on the lightweight charge, then the speaker's office should be responsible in taking legal action against them (assailants) based on the powers of the speaker,” he added.

Yesterday, eight individuals, including the son of Umno MP and deputy minister Tajuddin Abdul Rahman, were charged under Section 14 of the Minor Offences Act 1955, which carries a fine of up to RM100.

The charge was read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code which stipulates that when a criminal act is done by several persons in furtherance of a common intention, such persons are liable for that act in the same manner as if the act were done alone.

Following this, Khalid criticised the decision to charge them under that particular law as an insult to parliament.

He also questioned if the involvement of a deputy minister's son had resulted in the AG's Chambers opting for a lesser charge.

The incident happened three days after an argument between Khalid and Tajuddin in the House.

Tajuddin had referred to Seputeh MP Teresa Kok as the only "woman with a Kok", prompting Khalid to chastise the BN MP and call him "sial" (damned).

During the investigation, the case was probed under Section 147 of the Penal Code for rioting, which is punishable with up to two years' imprisonment or a fine, or both.

Meanwhile, Khalid's lawyer Zulhazmi Shariff said he would write to attorney-general Mohamed Apandi Ali to review the charge.