Karpal, Azmin, Sivarasa out for six months as well

Karpal was also suspended for six months. — File pic

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 16 — Three more opposition lawmakers were also suspended for six months from Parliament today, barely an hour after the House delivered the same judgment on Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Anwar was suspended for six months amid loud protests and a walkout by Pakatan Rakyat (PR) MPs calling the Dewan Rakyat a kangaroo court.

The opposition leader received the boot for claiming earlier this year that Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s public relations consultants APCO Worldwide had been behind both the 1 Malaysia and One Israel concepts.

The motion today cited Subang MP R. Sivarasa, Gombak MP Azmin Ali and Bukit Gelugor MP Karpal Singh for contempt for revealing and discussing the proceedings of the Rights and Privileges Committee on Anwar’s APCO claims.

There were no PR lawmakers present in Parliament during the debate to suspend the three MPs as all opposition MPs had left soon after the motion to suspend Anwar was passed without any debate.

Yesterday, Anwar was the only MP recommended for punishment over the issue in the final report by Parliament’s Rights and Privileges Committee.

Karpal, who is also a member of the committee, was recommended to receive severe “admonishment” for allegedly insulting Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia, the committee’s chairman.

Sivarasa and Karpal as members of the committee were cited for contempt for making statements outside the House by disclosing testimonies and letters revealed during the proceedings of the committee.

It is understood that the lawmakers had contravened Standing Order 85, which states that statements obtained in front of a select committee and any letters issued to it cannot be shown to anyone until the notice is brought to the House.

It also said that Azmin had touched on the testimonies and letter that was submitted to the committee in a notice dated December 6 under Standing Order 18 (1).

“Normally, there would be a winding-up speech before the motion is voted upon. But since there is no opposition lawmaker present, we will just proceed with the motion,” said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz.

BN MPs as well as independent MPs took the opportunity during the debate to attack PR’s protest walkout, accusing them of “disrespecting the sanctity of the Dewan Rakyat.”

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