Disrespectful to King: Call for parliamentary probe

Batu MP Tian Chua wants action taken against MPs for contempt of Parliament.

KUALA LUMPUR: Batu MP Tian Chua wants a parliamentary committee to investigate allegations that Pakatan Rakyat MPs were disrespectful to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong during last week’s installation ceremony.

“I have sent a letter to Parliament Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia to call for a parliamentary committee to investigate and punish [MPs] for contempt of parliament under Section 80A, Dewan Rakyat Standing Orders,” Tian Chua said

Also present at the press conference were Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzzah Anwar (PKR) and Kota Raja MP Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud (PAS).

Section 80A provides for action to be taken against parliamentarians or any other individuals who are deemed to have been in contempt of Parliament.

“The committee is like a court,” Tian Chua said on the scope of the committee.

Section 9 in Houses of Parliament (Privileges and Powers) Act 1952 provides for those found guilty of contempt to be fined not exceeding RM1,000.

Tian Chua justified his call for setting up the committee as the allegation has damaged his reputation as a MP.

Blogger Dr Rahman Kadir, in his blog posting, had alleged that the Pakatan MPs had been laughing away during the coronation.

Many pro-Barisan Nasional bloggers and the media picked up on the report.

MP to sue

Tian Chua also said that no official investigations have been conducted yet.

He added that there had been precedents for the formation of such committees.

He cited the formation of a committee to investigate the actions of Selangor Umno Youth for mobbing Bukit Gelugor MP Karpal Singh in 2009.

Meanwhile, Kota Raja MP Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud told reporters that she would sue Rahman.

“I have already contacted my lawyer… The posting degrades my dignity and [Umno-owned] Utusan Malaysia had front-paged the allegations three days continuously,” she said.

Siti Mariah said that there were other bloggers who added more slanders and lies against her and the rest of Pakatan MPs.