Ex-MB Nizar suspended for defying BN speaker

IPOH: Pasir Panjang assemblyman and former Perak menteri besar Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin was suspended for one day from the Perak state assembly today for defying the speaker R Ganesan's order to discontinue debating.
This prompted all 27 Pakatan Rakyat assemblymen to stage a walk out.

Mohammad Nizar was suspended until the state assembly session ended for the day at 3.30pm when he remained adamant after speaking for 15 minutes on a motion about logging tabled by Menteri Besar Zambry Abdul Kadir.

Despite his appeal to continue speaking was rejected by Ganesan, Mohammad Nizar refused to budge as Mohd Khusairi Abdul Talib (BN-Slim) took the floor.

All 32 BN assemblymen supported a motion tabled by Ramly Zahari (BN-Manong) that the speaker had the power to suspend an assemblyman for one day under Regulation 44 (5) of the Standing Order.

Earlier, Mohammad Daud Mohd Yusof (BN-Selama) urged the speaker to remove Mohammad Nizar from the state assembly under Regulation 44 (2) of the Standing Order for causing a disturbance.

At the outset of the debate, the speaker warned Nga Kor Ming (DAP-Pantai Remis) against snapping pictures in the hall with his mobile phone.

The opposition assemblymen trotted into the hall at 9.40am while BN and Independent assemblymen followed suit five minutes later before the debate started at 10am.

- Bernama