Kuala Lumpur  - Malaysia's Parliament suspended a prominent opposition lawmaker for one year Monday after he accused the deputy prime minister of being connected with the murder of a Mongolian woman.

Gobind Singh Deo, a lawyer by profession, caused an uproar in parliament on Thursday when he demanded that Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak respond to allegations of his involvement in the 2006 murder of the 28-year old woman.

The motion to suspend him was proposed Monday by Nazri Abdul Aziz, a lawmaker from the ruling National Front coalition, who said Gobind had committed a breach of his rights as a legislator.

"If an action has been committed and clearly the action shows lack of manners against the deputy prime minister, it is sufficient for us to take action against him," Nazri was quoted as saying by the official Bernama news agency.

Government lawmakers unanimously voted in favour of the motion, and Gobind was ordered out of Parliament immediately. He would also be denied his salary and other allowances as a lawmaker for a year.

Najib, who is expected to take over as prime minister early next month, has denied any involvement in the murder of Altantuya Sharribuu, whose body was blown up by military-grade explosives in Kuala Lumpur in 2006.

Najib's close friend and political advisor Abdul Razak Baginda had been charged with slaying Sharribuu, with whom he was accused of having an affair. However, last year, Abdul Razak was acquitted of having played any role in the murder.

Despite the court ruling, opposition members have called for an inquiry into the case, citing several people who allegedly claimed to have testimonies of Najib's link to the slain woman.

Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim said Monday that rumours and claims of Najib's involvement in the murder would not simply "go away" with the suspension.

"It is a serious charge and should be investigated thoroughly. I am sure he (Gobind) would not have made the charge if he did not have the facts," Anwar said in Parliament.

Lim Kit Siang, a senior leader of Gobind's opposition Democratic Action Party, slammed the suspension as a means to side-step the accusations.

"The matter he raised was one of public interest. It should be investigated.

"(Najib) is going to be prime minister. We don't want him to be hounded and dogged by this," Lim was quoted as saying by the New Straits Times online daily.

Monday's suspension marks the first time that a lawmaker has been booted out since 2001, when another opposition lawmaker was suspended for six months for allegedly insulting Parliament. (dpa)