Parliamentarians on both sides of the House expressed disappointment with Speaker Ramli Ngah Talib's decision to reject an emergency motion to debate the incident of a woman filmed as she was allegedly forced to strip and perform ear-squats at the Petaling Jaya police station.

Even Deputy Internal Security Minister Noh Omar expressed surprised, saying he was "disappointed" as he had come prepared to answer questions regarding the scandal which has rocked the country and shaken its international image.

"I didn't expect it to be turned down. I came in order to hear the decision and was ready to answer any questions about (the incident) from any member of Parliament (MP)," Noh told reporters at the Parliament lobby.

"But since it has been turned down, we have to abide by the decision and the grounds provided by the Speaker...the reasons were concrete and clear."

Ramli agreed that the motion submitted by Teresa Kok (DAP-Seputeh) was specific and of public interest, but said it failed to satisfy the criterion of urgency.

He said the police were still investigating the matter and the executive body had already decided to set up an independent investigating body , which negated the need for debate in Parliament.

"The government views the issue seriously and (will set up) an independent body under the laws to investigate this... (so) I feel there is no urgent need to discuss this," he said.

Teresa, who had exposed the scandal to ministers, MPs and the press last Thursday, had on Friday filed the motion under Standing Order 18 (1).

Different roles

At a press conference today, Kok seemed at a loss for words when asked to comment on the rejection of her motion.

"I feel a bit disappointed... He said that this is not an issue of urgency. What the executive body is doing is their role. I think as parliamentarians we should express outrage at what's happening within our police force," she said.

Parliamentary Opposition leader Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timor) had considerably more to say, complete with press statement, in criticism of Ramli's decision.

Citing the latter's rejection of two motions tabled earlier this year to discuss the Approved Permits scandal and the fall in ranking of Universiti Malaya and Universiti Sains Malaysia, Lim said the decision was not unexpected.

"The Speaker's rejection of urgent parliamentary debate on (what has become an) international furore....is a reflection of failure of Parliament to shake off the decades-old mentality of being a government department," said Lim.

"At this rate of progress, the Malaysian parliament is unlikely to become a First-World Parliament even by 2020."

Lim also described the grounds cited by the Speaker as "completely misguided", saying neither reason was acceptable or adequate.

"Under the doctrine of separation of powers, Parliament's role and responsibility to exercise oversight over the Executive - whether the (police force) or the cabinet - cannot be displaced or denied by whatever the government is doing or proposes to do."

Kok will table another motion on Thursday, this time for the symbolic censure of Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Mohd Bakri Omar by docking RM10 from his salary.

DAP and the Police Watch and Human Rights Committee had earlier called for the IGP and his deputy Musa Hassan to resign from their posts.