INTERVIEW The next speaker for the Parliament should not be selected by balloting, but through bi-partisan consultation instead, said DAP's Kluang MP Liew Chin Tong.

During an interview with Malaysiakini , Liew said that it would be good enough if both the government and the opposition can mutually agree on one particular candidate to become the speaker when the House meets on Monday.

PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim had previously urged a " secret ballot " in selecting the next speaker in the House.

NONE "Every country has a different (parliament) tradition. We must evolve our own tradition," Liew ( left ) said.

The opposition has nominated former Federal Court judge Abdul Kadir Sulaiman as its choice for the next speaker in the House, and Liew said it is probably the first time the opposition has nominated an individual for the speaker's post in the country's history.

"We are of the opinion that there should be a non-partisan speaker in Parliament. The government must recognise that we represent the majority of the people.

"It should consult us and provide a non-partisan candidate. We are not asking for anyone from our ranks (to be appointed speaker)," he added.

"Both sides should agree on one particular candidate without balloting. Choose a candidate that is acceptable for both sides. Consultation is the key word here.

"BN is governing the country as if it is a one-party system," he lamented.

Speaker need not quit party

Meanwhile, he also disagreed with his party colleague Lau Weng San, the Selangor state assemblyperson for Kg Tunku, that the speaker must resign from his or her party before accepting the appointment.

"I don't think it's necessary for the speaker to resign," he said, reiterating that the speaker can remain in any one party provided the speaker is non-partisan to either side.

He also said that having the room to select a non-MP as the speaker for the House, as provided for by the law, is a good thing.

"It actually provides wider room for consultation. The speaker must be fair and non-partisan," he said.

Weighing in on the subject, Subang MP Sivarasa Rasiah said BN should disclose their nominee for the post instead of keeping silent, as it is a matter of public interest and Pakatan has already announced theirs.

“We also call upon the secretary of Parliament who is vested with the sole authority to conduct the election of the speaker under the standing orders to publicly announce all the nominated names.

“The public have a right to know.  These are not national or official secrets,” said Siavarasa in a statement this morning.

Sivarasa reminded the secretary of parliament that the election of the speaker be done properly or expect trouble as PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim has warned.

“If an improper process is bulldozed through by BN using its majority, it will only serve to confirm that the BN is an insecure government that cannot even elect a parliament speaker by a proper secret ballot,” he said.

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Interview conducted by Ram Anand, Lee Way Loon and Ahmad Fadli KC.