Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri (centre) and other opposition MPs stage a walkout from the Dewan Rakyat March 19, 2019. — Picture by Miera Zulyana

KUALA LUMPUR, March 18 — About 20 Opposition MPs staged a walkout from the Dewan Rakyat this morning, saying they would not return as long as Deputy Speaker Nga Kor Ming chairs the proceedings in the Lower House of Parliament.

The Barisan Nasional (BN) and PAS lawmakers had done so in protest over Nga’s ruling earlier to suspend Tanjung Karang MP Tan Sri Noh Omar for three days effective immediately.

Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri said the MPs will discuss if they will table a motion against Nga, accusing the latter of misusing his power.

“We urge the deputy Speaker to retract the ruling as the issue raised had nothing to do with sitting.

“It is misuse of power as as he could not suspend Tanjung Karang for an issue that had taken place outside of the Dewan Rakyat,” Ismail told reporters outside the House, referring to a statement made by Nga on the Umno-PAS union that prompted Noh to ask the deputy Speaker for a clarification yesterday.

Nga suspended Noh after the latter branded him unfit to sit as deputy Speaker.

Ismail said if Nga had denied the reports that claimed he had said Malaysia could turn into a Taliban state if an Umno-PAS coalition was established, he said the Teluk Intan MP should take action against the media agency which had allegedly misreported Nga.

“This is not contempt of the Dewan Rakyat; therefore, he could not use his power as the deputy Speaker to make such ruling,” he said.

PAS deputy chairman Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, who was present at the press conference, said Nga could not make a ruling on his own behalf as it would be conflict of interest.

“The ruling should have been made by the Speaker and not the deputy Speaker himself,” he said.

Some of the lawmakers who walked out include Pontian MP Datuk Ahmad Maslan, Parit Sulong MP Datuk Noraini Ahmad, Besut MP Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh and Ratau Panjang MP Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff.