PARLIAMENT | Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker Ronald Kiandee today suspended three DAP parliamentarians for 10 days for failing to apologise to Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia.

Ronald said the actions of Ngeh Khoo Ham (DAP-Beruas), V Sivakumar (DAP-Batu Gajah), and Nga Kor Ming (DAP-Taiping) are an insult to the speaker in the performance of his duties, and by extension, also an insult to the Parliament.

“Therefore, I order the honourable members of Beruas, Taiping, and Batu Gajah to leave the assembly for 10 days starting from today, March 26, 2018,” he said.

In response, Ngeh and Sivakumar demanded that the Dewan Rakyat vote on whether their actions constitute an insult to the Parliament, but Ronald was unmoved and told them to leave.

Nga was not present in Parliament at the time.

Pandikar had written to the trio on March 13, demanding a public apology. He took exception to their remarks about him for rejecting their emergency motion to debate the seizure of the luxury yacht linked to businessperson Low Taek Jho and questions related to 1MDB.

In particular, Pandikar took offence to their statement that the speaker should not be an “accomplice to cover up corruption scandals” and that "as the speaker, Pandikar had failed to uphold the truth, then the most honourable thing for him to do is to resign”.

This is in reference to their joint statement issued on March 7.

However, Ronald noted that not only the trio had refused to apologise, a Malaysiakini article had quoted them demanding that Pandikar answers two questions regarding 1MDB before the trio would accede to his demands.

'Procedure not followed'

At a press conference later held by Ngeh and Sivakumar, the Beruas MP said the ejection was unfair and did not follow proper procedure.

“By right, what is required is a hearing session first, but there was absolutely no hearing for us.

“Instead we were accused right away of disrespecting Parliament, when we hold it is the opposite,” said Ngeh.

Sivakumar said Parliament is a place to answer questions on issues raised by the people.

The questions are not meant to challenge the speaker, but represent questions that the public wants answers for.

“Many people as the MPs what we are doing in Parliament, and why we can't get answers from the government regarding 1MDB.

“We are members of parliament and the people's representatives, we don't aim to challenge the speaker.

“Perhaps the speaker is being pressured by the executive, and because of that he blocks questions on 1MDB.

“(If that's the case), he is better off relieving himself of his post. That's all we are saying,” said Sivakumar.