> Motion passed, Gobind suspended

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri Abdul Aziz's motion to suspend Puchong member of parliament Gobind Singh for 12 months was passed in Parliament today.

The motion was passed via a voice vote after a debate lasting for about 40 minutes. During voting, the opposition block had walked out of the House in protest.

This means first-time Gobind is suspended with immediate effect.

The motion was earlier filed at about 11.30am before Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia.

The tabling of the motion was quickly followed by a strong protest from the opposition bench which tried to derail the motion, causing a standoff for almost one hour.

Pandikar managed to calm to situation only at about 12.30pm and allowed the parliamentarians to debate on the motion.

The motion has been filed over Gobind's so-called unparliamentary conduct last Thursday when he had implicated Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak with the death of Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu.

The motion stated that Gobind's accusations against Najib were serious and breached the privileges he enjoyed as a parliamentarian.

It also said that Gobind had also insulted deputy speaker Ronald Kiandee and the House - Malaysiakini.