With the unexpected demise of the Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tun Mohamed Zahir Ismail, there is now a wonderful opportunity for Pak Lah's administration to embrace one of Islam Hadhari's 10 principles specifically the one relating to the protection of the rights of minorities and women.

In the past 47 years of our history as a nation, the post of the Speaker has not, to my knowledge, been held by a member from the minority communities nor by a woman. By appointing one to this position, would it not be a great way to show symbolically that there is a role for all Malaysians - irrespective of their ethnic or cultural background - at the highest levels of the nation's public administration?

The person need not necessarily be a member of the Dewan Rakyat. He or she could be a senior member of the Bar or the judiciary - past or present- or indeed any Malaysian who has distinguished himself or herself in public or professional service.

In addition, having a woman chair the proceedings of Parliament will, hopefully, result in more gentlemanly conduct on the part of the male members of Parliament who have in the past often been crude and sexist in their remarks on issues pertaining to women.

Many democratic nations have in recent history appointed women or minority community representatives as Speaker of their democratic assemblies for example as in the UK, South Africa and the Scandinavian nations.