KUALA LUMPUR: Putrajaya, member of Parliament (MP) Datuk Dr Radzi Jidin was ejected from Dewan Rakyat by Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul today.
This came after Radzi had continued to pester Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to withdraw the statement made by the latter.
Radzi's ejection from the August House had also led to Perikatan Nasional (PN) MPs staging a walkout from the House to show protest.
Following this, Radzi, during a press conference, said Anwar only had to withdraw his statement, as the request made was straightforward.
He added that Anwar's failure to do so had indicated that the prime minister had attempted to twist his statement in the Dewan Rakyat.
"The issue is very straightforward, and the prime minister only needs to withdraw his statement. That was it.
"Why is he defending things that are not true and twisting his answer (when I told him to withdraw the statement)?
"If the MPs are being poorly treated when being blatantly accused, face to face, without strong evidence and was denied rights (to have accusations thrown to be withdrawn), what about the people then?" he said in a press conference at Parliament after being booted out from Dewan Rakyat.
Among others, Radzi added that he could not let certain parties tarnish his dignity as he had a good track record as an MP.
"As someone with dignity, I stood up. My request was also simple as it was an accusation towards me.
"Why is it that in so many things, he chooses to accuse me, who has no relation (to such matters)?
"This House is used to uphold the justice of the people, but he (Anwar) also chooses to accuse me, as if I had done such practices (when in the government)."
Earlier, Anwar, during his ministry's winding-up speech, had alluded that Radzi was used to 'corrupt practices' done during the Perikatan Nasional (PN) administration previously.
Following this, Radzi requested Anwar to withdraw the statement and cited Standing Order 36(6) of the House for having ill intention. Radzi is a PN MP.
The uproar also led to heated arguments among the Perikatan Nasional (PN) MPs, who urged the Speaker to call Anwar to retract his statement.
The argument lasted about 30 minutes before Johari ejected Radzi from the House.