KUALA LUMPUR, April 10 — Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia sent several opposition backbenchers packing from the Dewan Rakyat today after they raised a ruckus in the House over his decision to list their motion on Sodomy II as low priority.

The Dewan Rakyat Speaker had placed the motion to censure the judges of the Sodomy II case last in the Order Paper for today’s parliamentary proceeding, earning accusations of alleged bias from the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) lawmakers.

According to the lawmakers, the motion to scrutinise the integrity of the three Appeals Court judges that controversially overruled Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s acquittal of sodomy charges is crucial and should be debated as it concerns the image of the country’s judiciary.

But Pandikar dismissed the motion as low priority, and that government matters supercede other issues.

“We have to prioritise government affairs. That is my duty in accordance with Parliamentary Standing Orders,” Pandikar told the Dewan Rakyat, referring to Standing Order 15.

The reply sparked uproar among PR lawmakers and caused a commotion in the House.

Several PR lawmakers were subsequently ejected by Pandikar.

“I am very disappointed by the action of the Speaker to kick me out of the House without any strong or concrete explanation,” Gombak PKR MP Azmin Ali, who had filed the proposal, told reporters outside the Dewan Rakyat.

In his war of words with Pandikar earlier, Azmin demanded the speaker explain his decision that placed the subject low in the order of priority.

Azmin argued that his motion had followed the procedures laid out under Article 127 of the Federal Constitution, which allows Parliament to debate the actions of judges deemed detrimental to the integrity of the judiciary.

 “As far as my understanding goes the Constitution supercedes the Standing Orders. Therefore the House should allow the motion to be debated today,” the PKR whip said.

 The motion was filed under Parliamentary Standing Order 36 (8) as well as Article 127 of the Federal Constitution which gives Parliament the power to debate the actions of the country’s judiciary.

Azmin claimed Pandikar had “taken the easy way out” to avoid debating on an issue that may expose corruption in the judiciary by booting him out of the House.

According to the opposition, the three judges at the Court of Appeal had conspired with the ruling Barisan Nasional government to prevent Anwar from contesting the Kajang state seat by-election and become Selangor mentri besar.

The three judges were named as Datuk Aziah Ali, Datuk Balia Yusuf Wahi and Datuk Mohd Zawawai Salleh.

PKR strategic director and Rafizi Ramli said yesterday even if the issue could not be debated, the names of the judges would appear in parliamentary records for future references, which would send a strong signal to the judiciary.