DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang defiantly attended the Dewan Rakyat today despite a six-month suspension issued to him yesterday.
The Gelang Patah MP was seen sitting inside the august House during the proceedings even as Setiu MP Datuk Che Mohamad Zulkifly Jusoh raised a point of order to alert the Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia.
“Tan Sri Speaker, according to the Standing Order, a member who has been suspended cannot take part in the proceedings until their suspension period is over.
“But I see Gelang Patah is still here. He is a senior member and should know better.
“I hope action will be taken against him,” Che Mohamad said.
To this, Pandikar coolly said that he could not “see” Lim in the Dewan.
“I can choose to turn a blind eye,” Pandikar said.
This started a commotion as several lawmakers accused Che Mohamad of kicking up a ruckus to “keep his position” as a lawmaker.
Che Mohamad instead said that he was merely following the rules of the Dewan Rakyat.
Pandikar, who remained calm, allowed the commotion to go on for several minutes before stepping in.
He said that he was “listening to” the MPs’ arguments.
“This is your Parliament. Even if I say anything, no one listens. So you do as you like.
“I said I didn’t see Gelang Patah because even if I instruct him out again, what is the point?” he said.
Lim was suspended for six months by Pandikar as the former refused to obey instructions and interrupted the House proceedings.
But even after the suspension yesterday, Lim continued to be present in the House, refusing to leave his seat.
“I have said before that my option is to get the police to come in and remove the member, but I don’t want to do that because I don’t want the foreign media to see how our Parliament lacks manners,” Pandikar added.