PETALING JAYA: All MPs may now nominate a candidate for the recently vacated Deputy Dewan Rakyat Speaker position following the resignation of Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, says Speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun.
He said that the Dewan Rakyat secretary has informed all MPs on Tuesday (Aug 24) that they may proceed to nominate a candidate by giving a 14-day notice.
Azhar said that if MPs nominated more than one candidate, the Dewan Rakyat would take a vote by ballot to decide but if there is only one candidate named, then there will not be any voting required.
“Any Member of Parliament may nominate a candidate. All MPs have been informed of this today by the Dewan Rakyat secretary.
“The procedure is simple. Any MP can now nominate a candidate by giving a notice, preferably a 14-day notice.
“If there’s only one candidate, there will not be any voting at all and the Dewan Rakyat secretary would declare the sole candidate as Deputy Speaker.
“If there are more than one, there will be voting by ballot but no debate,” he said when contacted on Tuesday (Aug 24).
Azhar said that the appointment of a new Deputy Speaker would be the first business at the very next sitting after the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s royal address.
“A Deputy Speaker will have to be appointed at the first sitting after her (Azalina’s) resignation.
“That business shall be the first business at the next sitting (after the royal address),” he added.
On Monday (Aug 23), Azalina, who is also Pengerang MP, resigned from her post as Deputy Speaker, citing reasons such as conflict of roles and responsibilities between being an MP in a ruling coalition and member of the Umno supreme council.
