Perikatan won't support proposal for third Deputy Speaker post, says Muhyiddin

KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama): Perikatan Nasional (PN) will not support any proposal to amend the Federal Constitution to create a third Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker's post, says its chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

He said the PN supreme council believed having two Deputy Speakers as stipulated in Article 57(1)(b) of the Constitution was enough to ensure the smooth running of Dewan Rakyat meetings.

In addition, Article 57(3) of the Constitution allows any member of the Dewan Rakyat to chair a sitting in the absence of the Speaker and Deputy Speakers, he said.

“Therefore, there is no need for the Constitution to be amended to add another Deputy Speaker post at this time. The proposal would require the support of two-thirds of the MPs,” he said in a statement on Thursday (Oct 7).

Muhyiddin said that the memorandum of understanding between the government and the Opposition signed on Sept 13 was limited to the matters that had been agreed upon.

“Amending the Constitution to increase the number of Deputy Speakers was not part of the agreement. Therefore, it is not reasonable for any party to demand for it,” he said.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said the election of a Deputy Speaker to fill the post vacated by Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said had been postponed.

He said the postponement was to enable Article 57 (1)(b) of the Constitution to be amended to increase the number of Deputy Speakers from the current two to three. – Bernama