Ahmad Maslan withdraws as Dewan Rakyat deputy speaker candidate
Pontian MP Ahmad Maslan has withdrawn his candidacy for the Dewan Rakyat deputy speaker position.
He said one of the reasons for the move is so that he can prioritise his responsibilities as the Umno secretary-general.
“I have discussed with the...
Pontian MP Ahmad Maslan has withdrawn his candidacy for the Dewan Rakyat deputy speaker position.
He said one of the reasons for the move is so that he can prioritise his responsibilities as the Umno secretary-general.
“I have discussed with the Umno president, the deputy president, the three vice-presidents, including the prime minister, and I have decided to withdraw myself as a Dewan Rakyat deputy speaker candidate.
“The main reason is that I want to focus my attention on my work as the Umno secretary-general which takes up a lot of time, especially during such challenging times where we all know the politics that’s happening right now,” Ahmad said in a press conference in Parliament today.
The former deputy minister explained that his decision was unrelated to remarks made by Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairperson Muhyiddin Yassin today that it is unnecessary to create another deputy speaker position.
“I didn’t know what they (PN) wanted to do today, but my decision was made last night and has nothing to do with what was decided by PN,” Ahmad added.
Earlier, Muhyiddin revealed that the coalition did not support any suggestion to amend the Federal Constitution to create a position for a third deputy speaker.
Hopes for new Umno candidate
According to Ahmad, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob will be announcing the new deputy speaker candidate within a day or two.
While it is the premier's prerogative to choose whoever he wants, Ahmad expressed hopes the new candidate will be from Umno.
This is because the previous deputy speaker Pengerang MP Azalina Othman Said, whose resignation created the vacancy, is also from Umno, he added.
Elaborating on why he decided to withdraw his candidacy, Ahmad said Umno is the biggest party in the country and as such, his duties as the Umno secretary-general is time-consuming.
“For example, yesterday I had so many meetings I had to attend - one at 2pm, 4pm, 6pm and 8pm. How am I supposed to be at two places at once especially when the Dewan Rakyat is in session?
“So I had to choose one.”
MP wants to continue voicing opinions
Some of his friends had also reminded him that he would no longer be allowed to stand up and speak in the Dewan Rakyat if he were to become the deputy speaker, he added.
Ahmad shared that he enjoys being able to present his suggestions and opinions as an MP in the august House.
“Do you remember when I was an opposition MP, there was one year I spoke about all the ministries (during my debates in the Dewan Rakyat)? There was not one ministry I did not talk about.
“So I like to give such opinions. If I were to sit in the deputy speaker’s chair, what can I say? Ask people to sit down, ask people to leave.
“I would no longer be able to continue my active function, so that is another reason why (I decided to withdraw),” he said.
Ahmad also revealed that it was the prime minister’s idea to field him as a candidate for deputy speaker and he did not lobby for the position, instead, he agreed to the candidacy out of respect for the premier.
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