KUALA LUMPUR, March 27 ― Insulting the Dewan Rakyat Speaker is tantamount to being in contempt of Parliament as an institution, the incumbent Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia said today.

Pandikar was defending his decision to suspend three DAP MPs for 10 days yesterday due to their remarks against him.

"Insulting the Speaker is the same as being in contempt of Parliament. It’s similar to being in contempt of courts. You can argue merits of the case, but you can’t criticise the judge,” he told reporters in Parliament.

He was responding to the demand for an apology from DAP’s Beruas MP Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham, Taiping MP Nga Kor Ming and Batu Gajah MP V. Sivakumar.

They had also asked Pandikar to revise his suspension decision.

Pandikar made the decision yesterday after the three MPs refused to apologise for openly criticising him in a press conference made outside Parliament when he denied them asking certain questions to be discussed in the lower House.

Pandikar also said that there was no need to bring the MPs to the rights and privileges committee as their statement was quite clear and well established.

"If it is brought to the committee, it is as if the content is not clear and needs investigation,” he said.

"What is the need to investigate? A letter has been sent, asking them to apologise or action will be taken,” he said.

DAP also earlier today said that their Parliamentary whip will file a motion in the House requesting that Pandikar reinstate the MPs in Parliament