PETALING JAYA: Tan Sri Azhar Azizan Harun plans to return to his legal practice after stepping down as Speaker when Parliament reconvenes on Dec 19.
“That’s all that I am good at,” said Azhar.
However, Azhar refused to comment on speculation that he was initially nominated by Perikatan Nasional as Speaker candidate.
“No comment,” said Azhar briefly.
At the same time, Azhar is also not ruling out possibilities that he may voice out on certain issues in future.
“As I said, I’m really impulsive on this (expressing opinions). I wouldn’t rule that out,” said Azhar.
Sources have recently indicated that Perikatan nominated former home minister Tan Sri Radzi Sheikh Ahmad as their candidate for Speaker.
Azhar, better known as Art Harun, left his law practice in September 2018 after former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad appointed him as the Election Commission chairman.
He resigned as EC chairman in July 2020 and was subsequently appointed as Dewan Rakyat Speaker.
Recently, on Dec 2, Azhar said he would have to step down as the Speaker at the stroke of midnight on Dec 18.
Parliament will reconvene for two days on Dec 19 and 20, with the first agenda being to elect a new Dewan Rakyat Speaker.
This will be followed by the swearing-in of MPs and the election of Deputy Speaker.
The meeting will also see a motion of confidence towards Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's majority in the Dewan Rakyat.
Azhar’s appointment as Speaker in July 2020 was unopposed, and then Speaker Tan Sri Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof was asked to vacate the post.
Former three-term PKR Sungai Petani MP Datuk Johari Abdul has recently said that his name was submitted by Pakatan Harapan as candidate for Speaker.
