This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on March 27, 2018

KUALA LUMPUR: Three opposition members of parliament (MPs) have been suspended for 10 days for failing to apologise to Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia after demanding the Speaker’s resignation.

Deputy Speaker Datuk Ronald Kiandee handed down the suspension on Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham (DAP-Beruas), Nga Kor Ming (DAP-Taiping) and V Sivakumar (DAP-Batu Gajah) in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.

Kiandee said the three MPs had insulted the speaker, and by extension the lower house of parliament, by refusing  to apologise for their joint statements dated March 7 and March 13.

The MPs had on March 7 issued a joint statement that questioned Pandikar’s decision to reject an emergency motion to discuss the seizure of the luxury yacht The Equanimity in Indonesia and issues relating to 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).

They called on the speaker not to be an accomplice in covering up the 1MDB scandal, and  urged him to resign after rejecting the motion.

On March 13, Nga issued a media statement asking Pandikar to take appropriate measures to safeguard the Dewan Rakyat’s integrity.

Later that day, the Speaker wrote to the three MPs, asking them to issue an open apology in the house.