> Gobind suspended for Principle
Deputy Speaker Datuk Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar ruled Tuesday that Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz will not be referred to the Rights and Privileges Committee for making an untrue statement in Dewan Rakyat.
Dr Wan Junaidi said Nazri had no intention to mislead the house when he said on Nov 6 that former Lord President Tun Salleh Abas and two Supreme Court judges had not been sacked but were asked to retire.
A few days later, Nazri admitted he made a mistake and that the three judges were indeed sacked but the Government had paid them pension on compassionate grounds.
Objecting to the deputy speaker's ruling, Gobind Singh (DAP - Puchong) received a two-day suspension order on Tuesday.
Dr Wan Junaidi delivered his decision at 11.30am and ruled that Nazri had no intention to mislead the house and therefore there was no need for him to be referred to the committee of privileges.
“There is no need for the minister to apologise. My decision is based on point of order. I do not want the Parliament Malaysia to be a mockery,” said Dr Wan Junaidi.
While Karpal Singh (DAP - Bukit Gelugor) was still trying to raise a point that Dr Wan Junaidi’s decision was a mockery of the house amidst protests from the backbenchers, Gobind Singh stood up to defend his father.
It was then that Gobind accused Dr Wan Junaidi of being biased in favour of the minister.
Gobind Singh shouted at Dr Wan Junaidi: “The speaker defends the minister!”
This remark prompted Dr Wan Junaidi to ask him to leave the hall.
To which, Gobind Singh said, “He is the one who made the mistake and I have to go out.”
Refusing to leave the house despite Dr Wan Junaidi ordering the sergeant at arms to escort him out, Gobind Singh pointed at Nazri and said: “The No 1 coward is there. He should stand up to apologise like a man” before leaving the hall.
At the Parliament lobby, Gobind Singh said: “If Nazri is prepared to apologise outside the Dewan, why can’t he do so inside the house.
“I am disappointed with the ruling made by the chair. I stand up for principle, even if it means that I have to be thrown out of the Dewan - The Star.
