'Suspended' Noh turns to visiting S'pore speaker for assistance

BN lawmaker Noh Omar 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 the Tanjung Karang MP 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.

He 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 giving 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.

Speaking to reporters at parliament lobby, Noh insisted that 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 that 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," said Noh who insisted that he was only seeking Nga's confirmation on whether the Telok Intan MP 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 from a later time than immediately after an alleged act of contempt, must be brought through a motion.

He also insisted their protest today was to ensure that the proper procedures are being followed according to the Standing Orders. - Mkini