Rasuah Busters founder Hussamuddin Yaacub told FMT the public would see such an appointment as a relief from months of intense political squabbling.

“It’s a baby step towards new politics, towards mature politics,” he said.

The suggestion came yesterday from outgoing deputy speaker Azalina Othman Said.

Hussamuddin said bipartisanship was crucial for the country’s political development.

He praised Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob and PH leaders for reaching a consensus on reforms, saying this would smoothen cooperation in Parliament.

He called for professionalism from all MPs, who must quit the habit of shouting and name-calling during their debates.

Political analyst Oh Ei Sun of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs said the opposition had many qualified and legally trained candidates to take on the post of deputy speaker.

He described Nga Kor Ming, Hannah Yeoh, Gobind Singh Deo and Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad as the obvious choices.

“But there are so many other choices. Besides being capable and legally trained, the person should also be fair-minded.

“The deputy speaker should not have the personality of a deadwood.”

The Dewan Rakyat has two deputy speakers, and Oh said the other one, Rashid Hasnon, should be replaced with a capable candidate from the government following a controversy over his participation at a durian party in late June.

Academician Azmi Hassan said Nga and Yeoh were the best candidates from the opposition.

Referring to Rashid, he said his attendance at the durian party had probably made him a liability and “it may be good” for him to step down voluntarily.

G Manimaran, who has written books on Malaysian elections, noted that Suhaizan Kaiat of Amanah had remained in his post of speaker of the Johor legislative assembly although Pakatan Harapan had lost control of the state government.

“We can use the Johor state assembly as an example for Parliament,” he said.