Sixteen opposition MPs staged a walkout from the Dewan Rakyat in protest of the arrest of 26 Coalition for Free and Fair Elections (Bersih) petitioners this morning.

The 16, including all DAP and PAS MPs who were present, walked out at about 3.55pm in the presence of Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak. Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was scheduled to wind-up the debates on a controversial amendment five minutes later.

PKR's sole MP and party president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail was not present in the House at the time.

The walkout came after M Kula Segaran (DAP-Ipoh Barat) debated on the constitutional amendment bill seeking to extend the retirement age of Election Commission members by a year to 66, a move that has elicited strong criticisms.

The opposition MP opposed the amendment and condemned the arrests.

"We feel there is no point to debate further on the Bill when the arrests have nullified our freedom of expression both in and outside the Parliament House.

"We make laws in Parliament and it is the highest legislative body. How can the police just come in and start arresting people?" asked Kulasegaran when contacted later.

‘Utter contempt’

Met at the Parliament lobby, Parliamentary Opposition leader Lim Kit Siang said the MPs decided to walk out in protest of the bill as well as the arrests in the Parliament House earlier.

"We walked out in outrage not only of the bill that has no proper reform of the electoral system, but also the arrest of some 20 persons in the parliamentary precinct," he said.

Describing the arrests as "utter contempt of the sanctity of the parliament", he said the arrests were contemptuous to all MPs.

"It's sad that only opposition MPs have the sense to stand for parliamentary dignity, while not a single BN (Barisan Nasional) MP or minister seems to be aware of the fundamental and critical importance of the issues involved," he said.

"I think this is a shameful day for the Malaysian parliament and a point must be made that it is intolerable and unacceptable."

Lim also explained that all DAP MPs will be present at the Jalan Duta High Court tomorrow at 9.30am to set aside the court order obtained by the police to deny access to Parliament.

He said the MPs will file a writ to set a side the order which he described as "irregular and in contempt of Parliament."

‘An insult’

Here is what other opposition MPs said:

PAS MP for Kubang Kerian Salahuddin Ayub said he regrets the arrest of former vice president Mustafa Ali.

"It is an insult to parliament. He (Mustafa) was a guest of Tumpat MP Kamaruddin Jaafar and me. He was here to listen to the debate and arrested forcefully when we were going out for lunch," he said

"That's why we decided to walk out, to show that our parliament has lost its integrity," he said, adding that Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Musa Hassan had followed the orders of the government which is "scared of the public's voice."

He said the arrest was "stupid and rude". It also showed that the opposition leader and MPs are not respected, he added.

MP for Ipoh Barat M Kulasegaran was of the view that no court can give any order to control the happenings in Parliament.

"Parliament is supreme. I'm very surprised that the Kuala Lumpur Magistrate’s Court has granted the order," he said, adding that he was sure the motion passed by the Dewan Rakyat to keep all routes leading to Parliament accessible was not produced to the magistrate.

“We feel the court has been misled into giving the order. The order should not have been given. The arrests in parliament are totally unwarranted and uncalled for,” he added.

Take immediate action

MP for Bukit Gelugor Karpal Singh said the arrests would be in contempt of parliament.

He said opposition MPs have taken the matter to Dewan Rakyat Speaker Ramli Ngah Talib, who promised to speak to the IGP.

"We hope something positive will come out of this consultation. We're also looking into whether the order granted by the magistrate is valid and we're considering challenging it."

MP for Kepong Tan Seng Giaw said he had never seen such an unprecedented event in his 25 years as an MP.

"It should never be allowed. Parliamentary principle means no arrest should be made except by the parliament in the precinct of parliament which includes the house and all the parameters of the parliament until the fencing outside. The government must take immediate action to rectify the mistake," he said.

Lim who had a brief conversation with Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi when the latter came out of the Dewan Rakyat, said that he had asked Abdullah on the arrests.

"He (Abdullah) said arrests cannot be made in the Dewan, but is allowed outside the Dewan," he said.

The controversial amendment was unanimously passed at 4.50pm.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri Aziz, who is in charge of justice issues, defended the police action.

"They want to come and demonstrate today's amendment to the constitution. So they want to come in big numbers. We will not allow that," he told reporters at parliament.

"We have taken action against them and we are using the court system to prosecute these people."