'If you are unhappy with me, bring a motion'

Dewan Rakyat speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia has denied that he is not open to criticism but said that any MP dissatisfied with him should put forth a motion to be deliberated.

"I'm open to criticism through a motion," he said after giving PKR’s Padang Serai MP N Surendran the marching orders again this morning, claiming that the latter's two-day suspension following his ejection from the House on Tuesday would not be over until after 11.30am.

The House is today debating a motion to suspend Surendran for six months from the Dewan Rakyat over comments he had made during a press conference at the Parliament lobby shortly after his ejection on Tuesday, during which he called Pandikar (right) a "biased" speaker.

"If you criticise outside of the House, it is insulting both the speaker and the House," said Pandikar, who later abruptly left the proceedings to give way to his deputy Ronald Kiandee.

Pandikar said that Surendran would be allowed back into the House the moment he left his chair for Kiandee.
Surendran, who was later suspended for six months from the Parliament, had yesterday questioned whether the motion against him means that the speaker is “above criticism”.

However, PAS’ Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad argued that it wouldn’t be feasible for MPs to bring a motion every time they are unhappy with the speaker, because many motions brought forth by the opposition are not even debated in the House if there are time constraints.