Speaker suspends Pendang MP for 10 days

Speaker suspends Pendang MP for 10 days

Malaysiakini Team
Published: Aug 18, 2025 5:23 PM
Updated: 8:01 PM


PARLIAMENT | Dewan Rakyat speaker Johari Abdul today ruled to suspend Awang Hashim (PN-Pendang) for 10 days under Standing Orders 44(2) over an alleged physical threat made in the Dewan Rakyat last week.

In delivering his ruling, Johari, who presided at the start of the Finance Ministry’s winding-up of the 13th Malaysia Plan’s debates, also responded to Takiyuddin Hassan (PN-Kota Baru) and other opposition MPs who earlier stood up to pre-empt his decision.

“I am taking action today because we always talk about bullying. We say action is not enough, that the authorities do not take action on various matters.

“At that time, I was presiding, I was sitting here. So I want to zoom in on Pendang alone. Why Pendang? Because at that time, I was presiding, I saw what happened,” said Johari.

Addressing the incident, he said, “Secondly, what hurt me… broke my heart. We talk about the behaviour of young children in school, but we ourselves act like this in front of children.”

“Therefore, with my decision under SO 44(2), I hereby order Pendang to leave the House for 10 days starting today,” he said.

Last week, Khoo Poay Tiong (Harapan-Kota Melaka) raised the issue of lawmakers’ safety inside the Dewan Rakyat, accusing Awang (above) of making physical threats.

The incident allegedly occurred as Awang and RSN Rayer (Harapan-Jelutong) exited the Dewan Rakyat, following a shouting match that ended with Johari’s stern rebuke against the duo.

Before Johari delivered his ruling today, Takiyuddin quoted portions of the Hansard from Aug 13, the day of the incident, to urge the speaker to also consider action against Rayer.

Ronald Kiandee (PN-Beluran), meanwhile, quoted two past incidents in the Dewan Rakyat, including one in 1999, where no ruling was made to suspend the lawmakers involved.

From the backbenchers, Chong Zhemin (Harapan-Kampar) stood up to dispute Takiyuddin’s reading of the Hansard, but Johari reminded him to “just raise his point” and avoid attempts to further incite.

Responding to Chong, Shahidan Kassim (PN-Arau) insisted he was a witness to Rayer’s role in the incident, and that Awang was a “victim of provocation”.

The latest ruling marks the fifth time Awang has been suspended from Dewan Rakyat proceedings in this current term, most recently last December, also for 10 days.