Azalina confirmed as new deputy speaker
Dewan Rakyat approves motion proposed by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.
KUALA LUMPUR: Pengerang MP Azalina Othman Said has been confirmed as the new deputy speaker of the Dewan Rakyat.
Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin tabled a motion on her appointment, which was supported by a voice vote.
New Speaker Azhar Harun said that according to Standing Order 6(2) and 4(3), Azalina is now the deputy speaker.
“The new deputy speaker, please take your seat,” Azhar said.
Azalina, who had previously served as the de facto law minister, replaces Teluk Intan MP Nga Kor Ming, who had earlier resigned in solidarity with Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof, who was removed as Dewan Rakyat speaker.
Azhar said Standing Order 4(1) does not state that a candidate for the post of speaker or deputy speaker has to be submitted after it is vacated.
He said he considered Ariff and Nga to be the opposition’s nominees since they had made numerous statements in support for them.
“It doesn’t say that nominations can only be made after there is a vacancy,” he said.
He was replying to Gobind Singh Deo (PH-Puchong) who said the opposition had the right to submit their own candidates since the posts were only vacated today.
Earlier, the motion to remove Ariff was passed narrowly by a two-vote margin with 111 government MPs in support and 109 from Pakatan Harapan (PH) against it.
Stay current - Follow FMT on WhatsApp, Google news and Telegram
Fake or not? Check our quick fake news buster here.