WHY was Surendran not give the chance to DEFEND HIMSELF?

N Surendran, Padang Serai Member of Parliament was suspended for six months for allegedly insulting the Dewan Rakyat Speaker today.

And he was not given a chance to defend himself.

“I regret the undemocratic handling by Speaker on the motion to suspend Padang Serai MP. Surendran should have been referred to Rights and Privileges committee.

Surendran’s statement was made outside of Dewan Rakyat. By right he should be referred (to the committee) because there is no assurance whether his statement is right,” said PAS Pokok Sena MP Mahfuz Omar.

Yesterday, Surendran was booted out from Dewan Rakyat after arguing with Speaker Pandikar Amin who rejected his emergency motion on the demolition of the 101-year-old Sri Muneswarar Kaliyaman Hindu temple in the city centre.

The motion to suspend Surendran was filed by Batang Sadong Nancy Shukri today claiming the former had insulted the Speaker in a press conference yesterday by accusing Pandikar was being unfair for ejecting him from parliament.

Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim said today’s event clearly showed the parliament was made a mockery by BN.

“There’s must be enough time for a motion to be raised. But in this case, it is ignored, but to me that’s technical, but is it so easy to suspend a MP voted by people just because he wanted his voice to be heard?” said the Permatang Pauh MP.

Meanwhile, DAP advisor, Lim Kit Siang highlighted that the motion failed to fulfil the one-day notice criteria stated in the Standing Order.

Echoing Mahfuz, the Gelang Patah MP said Surendran should have been referred to the Rights and Privileges committee.

Harakahdaily