YOURSAY 'They should just plot to suspend one opposition MP every session, then they can have the Parliament to themselves.'

Surendran suspended for six months amid high drama

Boonpou: Democracy has not been hijacked by the 92 BN MPs since there has never been democracy in Malaysia. Malaysia is one of the longest serving "managed democracies" in the world. It has never been democratic.

But truly, I am not surprised but sad to see not even one BN MP, not even Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin, had the decency to abstain from voting to suspend Padang Serai MP N Surendran from Parliament.

It just goes to show how these MPs, whether from BN or the opposition alliance, would only vote along the divide. But if there is a single ounce of decency among the BN MPs, one or even two of them would have question the illegality of the speaker of the House to decree any MPs from speaking up.

What has become of our Parliament? How can we even say Malaysia practice democracy when the highest house of the country clearly oppose such a principle?

Tehachapi: This sort of suppression of free speech in Parliament will not end well for the nation. The Parliament is for elected people's representatives to voice out their views without fear of retribution.

By silencing the voice of the people's reps, the government has effectively plugged a legitimate channel for expressing dissenting opinions in public.

Why is the ruling party so afraid of the voices of the elected representatives? If Surendran has really done some grievous act and soiled the dignity of this August House, there is the rules and privileges committee to enforce discipline.

By summarily expelling a people's rep without debate is an affront to the sensitivity of the people and bring disrepute and shame to this place.

The ruling party should know that it does not own the Parliament, nor is it empowered to commit illegal act in the name of protecting its reputation. What Malaysia sorely needs is an independent ombudsman organisation which referee its behaviour.

Legit: Malaysian electorate should demand a change in this parliamentary system by massively calling for a referendum. This is to change the current practice of parliamentary debates and ejecting and suspending elected representatives from the House.

The people should decide under what circumstances such actions can be taken against any MP. Otherwise, the House speaker, who is from the ruling party, and the BN MPs are always going to have the upper hand in what can be debated in the Parliament.

The MPs, whether they are from the ruling coalition or opposition, are supposed to be the voice of the people and they should be allowed to bring up issues that matter to the people and debated accordingly, and not just ejecting or suspending anybody who speaks any issues that the government does not want to.

CiViC: They should just plot to suspend one opposition MP every session, then they can have the Parliament to themselves. Democracy? Where?

Hero325: There is nothing so wrong about the Parliament applying order of suspension on member of the house. The Selangor assembly and Penang assembly under Pakatan Rakyat have taken such action on errant members.

But then, nobody makes a hue and cry over it because it is BN members who were suspended.

Not Convinced: But were they suspended without any debate?

Continue-The-March: Hero325, tearing down part of a 101-year-old Hindu temple to make way for another commercial interest is not an urgent issue. But calling the biased speaker "bias" is an issue and deserve a urgent motion to suspend the said MP?

Greenie: This is an injustice. PKR should just have their own government in Selangor and Penang. Why bother trying to work together with Umno leaders who are just going to continuously block every motion the opposition comes out with.

Alfanso: It is about time to hold the members by the nose to lead them to a higher standard of parlimentary order. The modern-day members, in both the ruling and opposition should glue their butts to the chair and do work for which they are elected.

There ought to be a standard of procedure and no more noise or unruliness, shouting or clowning. They must be on live TV, then we know who is at fault because the people will be the rulers and not these clowns.

And Padang Serai MP should not be suspended. The people of Padang Serai should protest for such action by Parliament. Why take away a voice which is voted in by democracy and obstructed by tyranny?

RR: We have reached a stage in democracy here that even in Parliament, the MPs cannot express or speak for the people they represent. It is a shame.

The Mask: I totally agree to a national hartal (strike). Up to 52 percent of voters to participating in the hartal will surely wake up these nincompoops. Let's start with staying indoors as much as possible.

BN is using its majority to block everything from the opposition, even though the issues are of public importance.

Aaaargh!: I am not surprised by this outcome. However, this does not mean my blood is not boiling. It is reaching vaporising temperature. Malaysia democracy is dead and it is time for the people to take it back.

Ipohcrite: This is indeed a black day for Malaysian parliamentary democracy. The suspension of Surendran is indeed a parliamentary mockery.

KSD: There is a silver lining. Surendran is now free to go around and educate citizens on what the minority-elected government is doing with its mandate.

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