Deputy faces disciplinary action for insulting speaker

AMMAN — A joint parliamentary committee on Thursday recommended that MP Motaz Abu Rumman be banned from attending three consecutive sessions as a disciplinary action for insulting the Lower House speaker.

Following a meeting on Thursday, the joint panel, comprising members of the Lower House legal and behaviour and order committees, recommended that Abu Rumman also be denied the per diem allowance for travel and participation in parliamentary delegations.

On Wednesday, Lower House Speaker Atef Tarawneh sent a memorandum to the Legal Committee, requesting disciplinary action against Abu Rumman over his “insulting remarks”.

During Tuesday’s session, Abu Rumman (Balqa 1st District) faulted Tarawneh for asking him to give brief comments at the meeting. 

Abu Rumman protested that the speaker had allowed other MPs to speak longer and claimed Tarawneh was bullying him while being lenient with other deputies, using an Arabic proverb that translates into: “A lion on me and an ostrich in war.” 

The next day, Abu Rumman issued a statement in which he apologised to Tarawneh.

MP Adnan Sawair, the head of the joint panel, told The Jordan Times on Thursday that the disciplinary procedures against Abu Rumman are based on Articles 119 and 120 of the Lower House Rules of Procedure.

These articles give the speaker the right to disallow any lawmaker to speak during sessions in cases of violating the bylaws of the House. The speaker can also take a decision to ban an MP from attending three consecutive sessions.

Sawair said the joint panel’s decision was only a recommendation, adding that disciplinary action against Abu Rumman has to be approved during a full House session. 

“Insulting the speaker is like insulting the whole House. Such impolite behaviour has to be punished,” he said.

Abu Rumman is one of three MPs whose parliamentary immunity the judiciary has requested be lifted so that it can proceed with lawsuits citizens have filed against them.

A citizen has filed two lawsuits against Abu Rumman on charges related to slander.