Parliament’s rights and privileges committee has recommended that Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim be suspended for claiming that a public relations firm hired by the federal government had strong links with Israel.

"The privileges committee has tabled its majority report which recommended that Anwar be suspended for six months," committee member Karpal Singh, the Bukit Gelugor MP, told a press conference in the lobby of Parliament this morning.

He adds that the committee’s report had also called for him to be admonished for criticising the committee’s credibility.

The report was tabled in the Dewan Rakyat today and will be debated on Thursday.

The committee, chaired by Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia, met four times before producing their majority report.

Two opposition committee members - Karpal and Subang MP R Sivarasa- excused themselves from the final meeting on Dec 3 in protest because they disagreed with the way the investigations were conducted.

Anwar was referred to the committee in March after he alleged   that the public relations firm Apco Worldwide - the supposed mastermind of the Najib administration’s 1Malaysia campaign - was involved in former Israeli president Ehud Barack’s One Israel initiative.

'No due process'

During the committee hearings, Apco Worldwide Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region chief executive officer Brad Staples was asked to prepare himself to testify before the committee, but his testimony was never heard.

It was later decided by the majority view to only use the letter from Apco Worldwide and other documentations such as the Hansard as evidence, without need to hear from witnesses or evaluate Anwar’s evidence assembled in his defence.

Meanwhile, Karpal will be admonished for questioning the committee’s investigation and protest over the committee’s refusal to hear evidence from Anwar or other witnesses.

Previously, Karpal was reported to have questioned Pandikar’s fitness to lead the committee and the qualification of fellow committee member Razali Ibrahim, who is the Muar MP.

"How can they take action against me without me being present? Admonishing a professional is a serious matter," added Karpal, adding that due process was not followed.

'Anwar's claim not true'

Pandikar said the committee concurred that Anwar's claim pertaining to Apco Worldwide was not true.

"He has violated his rights and privileges as an MP. As such, the committee has decided and agreed that the Permatang Pauh MP should be suspended for six months," he said in the report of the committee.

According to the report, the committee also viewed with great concern the action of Karpal Singh (DAP-Bukit Gelugor) who it claimed had continuously hurled various allegations insulting the chairman of the committee.

"The committee also expressed its regret over the demeanour of the Bukit Gelugor MP who did not show respect for and belittled the other committee members," said Pandikar Amin, who is Dewan Rakyat Speaker.

He said that to ensure that such a thing did not recur, the committee recommended that Karpal Singh be admonished.

The Rights and Privileges Committee is made up of Pandikar Amin, Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker Datuk Ronald Kiandee, Karpal Singh (DAP-Bukit Gelugor), R. Sivarasa (PKR-Subang), Nancy Shukri (BN-Batang Sadong), Datuk Seri Dr Fong Chan Onn (BN-Alor Gajah) and Datuk Razali Ibrahim (BN-Muar).