'Suspended' Noh turns to visiting S'pore speaker for assistance
PARLIAMENT | Noh Omar (BN-Tanjung Karang) turned to visiting Singapore speaker Tan Chuan Jin for assistance when informed that he had been suspended for three days over an insulting remark hurled yesterday.
Soon after Noh entered the Dewan Rakyat, about 15 minutes before the 1pm lunch break, deputy speaker Mohd Rashid Hasnon announced the arrival of Tan and his nine-member delegation...
PARLIAMENT | Noh Omar (BN-Tanjung Karang) turned to visiting Singapore speaker Tan Chuan Jin for assistance when informed that he had been suspended for three days over an insulting remark hurled yesterday.
Soon after Noh entered the Dewan Rakyat, about 15 minutes before the 1pm lunch break, deputy speaker Mohd Rashid Hasnon announced the arrival of Tan and his nine-member delegation.
Rashid then informed Noh of his suspension.
"I would like to announce to the honourable Tanjung Karang that a ruling was made in the morning, where the (deputy) speaker (Nga Kor Ming) ruled that you are not going to attend the sitting for three days," he said.
However, Noh claimed that he was not aware of the ruling, and questioned how it could be made in his absence without him being given the opportunity to explain.
"I can take the penalty, but it should be fair," he added.
Chang Lih Kang (Harapan-Tanjung Malim) then told Noh not to do something embarrassing in front of the foreign guests.
Following this, the BN lawmaker turned to Tan and said: "I want to ask the speaker from Singapore, have you ever suspended members (of parliament) in their absence?"
Noh's remark was lauded by BN and PAS lawmakers.
Bung Moktar Radin (BN-Kinabatangan) accused the House of practising the “rule of the jungle,” while Ahmad Maslan (BN-Pontian) recalled a similar incident where Lim Kit Siang (Harapan-Iskandar Puteri) entered the House despite being suspended.
After his instruction for the sergeant-at-arms to remove Noh from the House triggered a quarrel between both sides, Rashid gave in.
"I allow (Noh) to sit until 1pm (lunch break)," he ruled.
This prompted Khoo Poay Tiong (Harapan-Kota Melaka) to protest: "A ruling has been made, how can (you) allow him to sit here?"
Rashid kept looking at the clock and turned off the microphones of MPs who were shouting at each other.
'Why the hurry?'
Speaking to reporters later at the parliament lobby, Noh insisted Nga should clarify his ruling according to the Standing Orders.
He said Standing Order 44 provides a speaker with the power to immediately suspend a lawmaker for alleged contempt of the House, but it must be issued during the time of the offence, so that the lawmaker in question would have a chance to respond.
"If he (Nga) felt I was in contempt of the House, he should have suspended me yesterday.
"Secondly, why the hurry to suspend me? He should have waited for me to be present," he said.
Noh further insisted he was only seeking confirmation on whether Nga had made the reported "Taliban" jibe against Umno and PAS.
Quizzed on his absence from the House this morning, Noh said the issue does not arise, as he still came later in the day.
Annuar Musa (BN-Ketereh), who accompanied Noh, also pointed out that Standing Order 44(4) on the Speaker's powers to suspend a lawmaker at a later time, rather than immediately after an alleged act of contempt, must be brought through a motion.
He insisted the protest today was to ensure the proper procedures were being followed, in accordance with the Standing Orders.
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