(Oct 23): The six-month suspension, which was handed to DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang, has "nothing to do" with 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) as claimed by the veteran lawmaker, Datuk Seri Azalina Othman said today.

In a statement, the parlimentary affairs minister Azalina denied Lim's assertion that he was not given the "right to be heard".

Lim was suspended from Dewan Rakyat after he did not apologise or retract remarks deemed insulting to speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia, when he said the speaker had abused his position in "sabotaging" the 1MDB probe by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

But Azalina said the issue was Lim's refusal to apologise despite being given three days and numerous chances to do so by Pandikar.

"As a veteran parliamentarian, since 1969, he should have been well versed with standing orders and should have known the fair decision that has to be taken after the speaker repeatedly asked him to retract and apologise," Azalina said.

"This clearly shows that his suspension is not related to 1MDB, unlike the perception that is trying to be created by the opposition."

She said Lim did not need to be referred to the Rights and Priviledges Committee either as his remarks were already in the Hansard.

"The committees require investigation and witnesses. That does not arise because what he said is clearly stated in the Hansard and has been recorded," he said.

Upon Pandikar's instruction, the government initially retracted a motion to suspend Lim in order to give him more time, but resubmitted the motion following Lim's refusal to tender an apology.

Lim has maintained that he did not mean to insult the speaker with his remarks.

Lim's comments were related to Pandikar's refusal to allow PAC hearings on 1MDB to go on after four of its members, all from Barisan Nasional, were made deputy ministers in a Cabinet reshuffle by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak. – The Malaysian Insider