THREE DAP MPs have besmirched Parliament by demanding that Dewan Rakyat speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia to step down and it shows the opposition’s desperation, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Azalina Othman Said.

Azalina, who is in charge of parliamentary affairs, said the demand by Taiping MP Nga Kor Ming, Ngeh Koo Ham (Beruas) and V. Sivakumar (Batu Gajah), who accused Pandikar of being in cahoots with the ruling party to cover up corruption scandals, was malicious.

“The appointment and role of the speaker is enshrined in Article 57 Clause 1 of the federal constitution, whereas standing order 99 of the Dewan Rakyat, states ‘The decision of the speaker in interpreting any standing order of the House under normal circumstances is final  unless there is a private member’s bill to challenge the decision.’

“As such, the speaker from time to time can issue guidelines relating to the matter at hand,” she said in a statement today.

On Wednesday (March 7), the three MPs demanded that Pandikar step down as speaker for rejecting an urgent motion filed by the opposition relating to the seizure of a luxury yacht said to be owned businessman Jho Low and questions on the 1MDB issue.

They were also reported as claiming that Pandikar as the speaker of the Dewan Rakyat had failed in his duty in seeking the truth.

Azalina said it was the speaker’s prerogative to reject any question or motion that did not conform to the standing orders and that the decisions of the speaker had been consistent and fair to all MPs.

“However, there are ways to challenge his decisions but not by demanding that the speaker resign and be prejudiced when the decision is not in one’s favour.

“It is normal practice for the opposition to use Parliament to attack the government but this action along with malicious accusations against the speaker is seen as a desperate and unprofessional move,” she said.

Azalina said any MP could hold a differing view and push their own political ideologies but as elected representatives, they must maintain high standards and not resort to behaviour that diminishes their standing. – Bernama, March 9, 2018.