Azhar an unelected speaker - Bersatu rebels
A group of parliamentary representatives led by Langkawi MP Dr Mahathir Mohamad today said they did not recognise Azhar Azizan Harun as the new Dewan Rakyat speaker.
In a joint statement, they questioned why his appointment was not put to a vote.
A group of parliamentary representatives led by Langkawi MP Dr Mahathir Mohamad today said they did not recognise Azhar Azizan Harun as the new Dewan Rakyat speaker.
In a joint statement, they questioned why his appointment was not put to a vote.
"It is strange that the Pagoh MP (Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin) did not put the nomination of Azhar Azizan Harun to a vote by the Dewan Rakyat members when Perikatan Nasional had earlier already secured a majority of 111 votes to vacate the speaker's position.
"We stress that the speaker was not chosen by the Dewan Rakyat members as no vote was conducted," they said.
The statement was jointly inked by Mahathir, Mukhriz Mahathir (Jerlin), Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman (Muar), Maszlee Malik (Simpang Renggam), Amiruddin Hamzah (Kubang Pasu) and Shahruddin Mohd Salleh (Sri Gading).
With the exception of Shahruddin, the other five MPs have been removed from Bersatu for siding with the opposition.
Mahathir, who leads the rebels, has refused to back Muhyiddin's government as he does not want to cooperate with Umno.
In the joint statement, the MPs also expressed regret at the manner in which former high court judge Mohamad Ariff Mohd Yusof was removed as the Dewan Rakyat speaker.
"No reasonable grounds were provided and the debate was tainted by the insolent behaviour of a number of government MPs.
"The opposition was also denied the right to nominate an alternative speaker candidate and a 14-day notice for the vacancy was not issued on July 13," they said.
According to Muhyiddin's motion, Mohamad Ariff was removed due to the presence of "another candidate".
The motion was passed along partisan lines with 111 in favour and 109 against. Kota Marudu MP Maximus Ongkili was absent due to his hospitalisation while another Batu Pahat MP Rashid Hasnon could not vote as he was chairing the House as the deputy speaker.
Both Maximus and Rashid are government MPs.
Nga Kor Ming resigned as deputy speaker, in solidarity with Mohamad Ariff, before a separate motion could be tabled to remove him.
Pengerang MP Azalina Othman replaced Nga as the new deputy speaker. Rashid was retained as the second deputy speaker.
The motions were intended to replace Dewan Rakyat speaker and deputy speaker with the new Perikatan Nasional government's own candidates.
The Bersatu rebels say they regretted the fact that the subsequent motions to install their replacements were not debated or voted upon.
"The Dewan Rakyat speaker should be someone impartial and not someone who is chosen to fulfil the demands of the executive.
"Parliament is the forum to speak up. The people's voice, through their elected representatives in Parliament, must be treated with dignity.
"When the rule of law is sidelined, our democratic institutions become tainted and eroded," they said.
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