KUALA LUMPUR, June 22: A Malaysian minister was suspended for three months on Wednesday as punishment for a rare breach of discipline after he criticized a government decision that affected his minority Indian community.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, leader of the United Malays National Organization which heads the ruling coalition, said the move against deputy minister for natural resources and environment S. Sothinathan was unprecedented.

“Yes we made a decision to suspend him with immediate effect for what he did in parliament,” Mr Abdullah said at a press conference.

“He’s a member of the front bench, he should not have taken a stand like he did, criticizing his own government. It is certainly a breach of party discipline,” he said.

Sothinathan criticized a decision by the state-run Malaysian Medical Council to withdaw recognition for medical degrees from the Ukraine-based Crimea State Medical University (CSMU) which is popular with ethnic Indian Malaysians.

The move affects about 1,400 Malaysian students — mostly Indian Malaysians — who are studying there and who will now have to undergo an additional Malaysian qualifying exam in order to practice.—AFP