Barisan Nasional (BN) parliamentarians have not breached party ethics in calling for Works Minister S Samy Vellu to step down, said Backbenchers Club chairperson Shahrir Samad.

"I don't think action will be taken against them," he said when contacted this afternoon to comment on Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's statement that backbenchers should refrain from calling on ministers to resign.

The premier was also quoted in media reports today as saying that backbenchers have to abide by the BN code of ethics.

However, Shahrir opined that the 'code of ethics' the prime minister referred to was actually party ethics.

"I don't think this (restraint) is in the code of ethics, it is the party ethics. Because we are with the BN, we don't ask the minister to resign. I think that's what he (Abdullah) meant," the Johor Baru MP explained.

He reiterated that parliamentarians were not making personal attacks against Samy Vellu but was "frustrated and fed up" over several serious infrastructure breakdowns in recent years.

"No backbencher likes to ask any BN minister to resign, but the problem is that there are things that are happening right in front of us like the Middle Ring Road II, the fungal hospital and the latest landslide," he added.

He said the premier's reminder nevertheless will not stop backbenchers from speaking up in future.

"They will continue to be outspoken, but we have to figure out how we can be outspoken without attracting too much attention," he said.

Provide us information

Shahrir also responded to a statement in the New Straits Times today which quoted Samy Vellu as saying that "I am not a layman, I am qualified to speak on these matters... some of them who spoke were too emotional. They did not have all the information."

"Precisely, why not give us the information? At least we have the report, we know who is responsible and what's happening," Shahrir said.

The BBC head said a meeting will be initiated between the backbenchers and Samy Vellu in view of the suggestion by Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to the latter to respond to the queries of backbenchers in Parliament.

Government leaders are split over the views calling for Samy Vellu's resignation.

Earlier today, the influential Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall said it will lobby for support from various groups nationwide in demanding the minister's resignation.