Three DAP lawmakers have been told to apologise to Dewan Rakyat speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia over remarks against him for disallowing an emergency motion on the seizure of the luxury yacht linked to businessperson Jho Low and questions related to 1MDB.

Pandikar, in a letter to Batu Gajah MP V Sivakumar, Beruas MP Ngeh Khoo Ham and Taiping MP Nga Kor Ming, said their remarks were an insult to the speaker and the House.

"As such, I am giving an opportunity to you to make an open apology in the House for the accusations made against the speaker.

"Failure to make an apology will result in stern action," the speaker said.

He was responding to a joint statement by the trio (photo) last week. 

Pandikar took offence to their remarks that the speaker should not be an “accomplice to cover up corruption scandals” and that "as the speaker, Pandikar had failed to uphold the truth, then the most honourable thing for him to do is to resign".

He then defended his actions, claiming that the Parliament Standing Orders gave him the right to reject any motion without the need to justify. 

Pandikar also claimed that the standing orders gave him liberty to reject questions that contain any “opinion, argument, ironical or offensive expression”, and that it was his right to interpret.

Despite the 1MDB scandal having sparked investigations and court actions in a number of countries, attempts by opposition MPs to discuss the issue in Parliament have thus far failed.

An attempt to challenge Pandikar's decision not to allow questions related to 1MDB to be raised in the House last month also failed as the High Court allowed the application from the speaker to strike out the suit.