KUALA LUMPUR: There will be no new Dewan Rakyat deputy speaker to replace Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said (BN-Pengerang) in the near future.
The Dewan Rakyat has unanimously passed the motion to postpone the election of the Deputy Speaker which was supposed to be held today to the next sitting beginning on Oct 25.
The motion, which was tabled by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law), Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, said the postponement was necessary to make an amendment to Article 57 (1) (b) of the Constitution to add another deputy speaker post from two to three, with one of them also filled by an Opposition representative.
“Although the Constitution does not stipulate who will be the deputy speaker because the platform is chosen by the Member of Parliament, then we will make a rule so that one of the three Deputy Speakers is appointed from the opposition bloc,“ he said.
“I have discussed with the Attorney-General so that this amendment can be made at the end of this session for the first reading and followed by the October session.”
Earlier, the government had nominated Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan, who is also Umno secretary -general, for the post, while the Opposition bloc proposed Teluk Intan MP Nga Kor Ming
The deputy speaker’s seat was vacant after Azalina Othman resigned on Aug 23.
