PETALING JAYA: It has been revealed that a motion for Election Commission (EC) chairman Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun to be made Dewan Rakyat Speaker will be tabled in Parliament on July 13.
Speaker Tan Sri Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof (pic), who confirmed this, said the motion would form part of the Order Paper listing debates and motions to be held when lawmakers reconvene on Monday.
The retired Court of Appeal judge said he would allow the motion to be tabled but “will go by the book”.
“Yes, these motions exist. Nothing else for me to add.
“Ask the Prime Minister and the Law Minister for further comments, ” he said yesterday.
Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin submitted motions on June 26 for the removal of Mohamad Ariff as well as his deputy Nga Kor Ming.
This will pave the way for Azhar to be elected by lawmakers as the new Speaker, while Pengerang MP Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said is tipped to replace Nga.
According to House rules, Azhar and Azalina’s names must be submitted to the Dewan Rakyat 14 days before its meeting.
It is learned that Perikatan Nasional agreed during a recent meeting to nominate the duo to replace Mohamad Ariff and Nga.
Azalina remained tight-lipped about her candidacy when contacted.
“Humans can only plan, but God decides, ” she said.
The senior Umno lawmaker, a former Cabinet minister, has been touted for some time to replace Nga, the DAP’s Teluk Intan MP, as Deputy Speaker.
Azhar, better known as Art Harun, was appointed EC chief in September 2018.
