KUALA LUMPUR: Opposition members of parliament (MPs) staged their first walkout of the Dewan Rakyat for the year after they were denied the chance to debate a motion by the home ministry on Tuesday, March 16.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein had tabled a motion ordering the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to protect parliament.

By convention, the motion is tabled at the opening session of every parliament sitting to give the police the authority to marshal the House and had not been debated for years.

The motion instructs the IGP to take care that while parliament is in session, the streets leading to the House are kept free and MPs are not obstructed from getting to and from parliament.

However, Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timur) requested Deputy Speaker Datuk Ronald Kiandee to allow for debate.

When Ronald refused to give in, Lim together with Chong Eng (DAP-Bukit Mertajam) and N Gobalakrishnan (PKR-Padang Serai) led the MPs in staging a walkout.

Hishammuddin said at a press conference later that the opposition had wanted to use the opportunity to politicise issues relating to the police force transition plan involving the IGP and other senior officers.