KUALA LUMPUR (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Malaysia's Parliament was thrown into disarray when proceedings were abruptly interrupted following an evacuation warning on Tuesday morning (Dec 1), in what could have been possibly due to a faulty water sprinkler.

Speaker Azhar Azizan Harun had told Members of Parliament (MPs) to step out of the building temporarily.

Media personnel and other staff also left the media room and offices for a short time.

A security officer then told some journalists not to leave the premises, adding that there could have been a "technical issue".

Security personnel told the media and other officers to wait outside the Parliament building.

Several ministers, including Communications and Multimedia Minister Saifuddin Abdullah and National Unity Minister Halimah Mohamed Sadique, as well as Deputy Speaker Mohd Rashid Hasnon, were seen waiting outside.

When approached outside the building, Datuk Saifuddin said Parliament had been adjourned for a while until further notice from the Parliament administration.

Several minutes later, instructions to re-enter the Parliament building were given, following which MPs, ministers, officers and media personnel made their way back.

A bell was rung at around 10.30am, indicating lawmakers could return to the House.

It is understood that there was a faulty water sprinkler, which triggered the entire episode.