The Dewan Rakyat is being tainted by the “unusual behaviour” of some of its members, laments Johor Bahru MP Shahrir Abdul Samad.

He was referring to several recent political developments in the country, including the lawsuit against Dewan Rakyat Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia and secretary Roosme Hamzah.

Petaling Jaya Selatan MP Hee Loy Sian is suing the duo for rejecting his questions regarding 1MDB.

“Not only is the Dewan Rakyat speaker is being sued and brought to court, but even judges are being sued. There is nothing that is not being sued and dragged to court.

“Then when the decision is not in their favour, they claim that the court is unfair,” he told reporters today.

However, it is unclear which MP he was referring to with regards to suing judges.

He was speaking to reporters after attending the launch of the book “National Book Policy and TN50” by Sungai Besar MP Budiman Mohd Zuhdi at the Parliament lobby today.

Hee, a PKR representative, had said that the speaker needs to explain why his questions are being rejected although the issue is important and its answer should be made known to the rakyat.

The opposition had earlier voiced dissatisfaction towards Pandikar’s move to reject over 30 1MDB-related questions, and claimed that this had tarnished the Parliament’s reputation.

Pandikar had expressed regret over the lawsuit, saying that Article 63(1) of the Federal Constitution seems to have lost its meaning. The provision states that the validity of any proceeding in Parliament shall not be questioned in court.

Shahrir, who is also the BN Backbencher’s Club (BNBBC) chairperson, said he had never seen anything like this throughout his political career.

“I have been an independent MP before, then a government MP, and this experience is a strange situation in a strange time.

“When I say "strange", I mean that those in politics have strange ways of behaving and thinking.

“When I look at such situations, such strange people should be judged by the rakyat. However, it appears that the rakyat like these strange people,” he said.

Shahrir also condemned non-Muslim opposition members for questioning PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang’s private member’s bill to amend Syariah Court (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 or Act 355.

“There are parties not from my religion who are more knowledgeable in my religion than myself. For me this is strange. They said (Hadi’s bill) is hudud but I said it is not hudud. Other people are non-Muslim but (claim to be) more knowledgeable. For me, this is strange,” he said.