Suren ejected from Dewan over temple issue

The Speaker adviced the Padang Serai MP that he could not bring up the issue as it was not of national importance.

KUALA LUMPUR: Padang Serai MP N.Surendran was thrown out of parliament today for bringing up an emergency motion on the demolition of part of the hundred year old Sri Muneswarar Kaliyamman temple at Jalan Raja Chulan.

He cited Rule of Order 18.1, and wanted to read out the motion but was stopped by the Dewan Rakyat speaker Pandikar Amin.

The Dewan Rakyat speaker stated that in order to invoke Rule Order 18.1, the matter should be an urgent issue that involves national issues.

Pandikar Amin advised Surendran to invoke Rule of Order 43 which requires two days, in advance, to submit an emergency motion.

The Padang Serai MP, unhappy with the speaker’s ruling continued to read the emergeny motion and displayed a placard with photos of the demolished temple.

The speaker then invoked Rule Order 44, and ejected Surendran from the parliament session.

Surendran was first ejected from the parliament when he attempted to table a petition involving the death in detention case of P Karuna Nithi in September.

Surendran is also the first MP to be booted out of the Parliament in this session.

Speaking to reporters at the parliament lobby, Surendran accused the speaker of being biased and only listening to Umno’s advice.

“I say again this is a Robert Mugabe parliament and he’s being undemocratic.

“Look at the pictures we show, the temple has been demolished and the DBKL is giving lame excuses,” he said.

On Sunday, an estimated 300 DBKL enforcement officers and police personnel demolished the temple without proper notice.

The temple had been issued an eviction notice on June 13, ordering it to vacate the premises before June 26. The eviction order was issued so that a developer could build a multi-storey building.

However, political leaders from both Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat along with temple devotees staged several protests to stop the demolition.

The notice was put on hold after the matter was brought to the PM’s attention and it was then decided in a cabinet meeting not to demolish the temple until a proper solution was found.

Protest against FT minister

Earlier a protest calling for FT Minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor and Deputy FT Minister J Loga Bala Mohan to resign was held in front of parliament today, with police presence nearby.

Around 15 protestors from the temple committee, PKR members and Indian rights issues defenders gathered to protest against DBKL demolishing part of the temple.

The protestors were shouting and asking for the PM to sack both FT Ministers for being incompetent and insensitive towards Hindu temple issues.

Political leaders present to greet the protestors were Surendran and Kapar MP G Manivannan. Also present were S Jayathas and Chegu Sekhar from PKR.

Surendran speaking to reporters said that both FT Ministers are insensitive towards temple and Indian issues and they should be responsible and resign from their posts for their irresponsible acts.

Later, the temple representative and PKR MPs were seen entering the Dewan Rakyat to submit a memorandum addressed to Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak.