PM Anwar goes first as 222 MPs take their oaths in the Dewan Rakyat

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who is also Tambun MP, led the 222 MPs in the Dewan Rakyat in an oath-taking ceremony at the first Meeting of the First Term of the 15th Parliament which started Monday (Dec 19).

Anwar's swearing-in was followed by his two Deputy Prime Ministers, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (BN-Bagan Datuk) and Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof (GRS-Petra Jaya).

It then continued with the line-up of Cabinet Ministers, Deputy Ministers, government MPs and Opposition MPs.

At the meeting, two Mentris Besar and a Chief Minister were also sworn in as MPs, namely Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amiruddin Shaari (PH-Gombak), Negri Sembilan Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin (PH-Port Dickson) and Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow (PH-Batu Kawan).

The Dewan Rakyat meeting became the focus exactly one month after the 15th General Election (GE15) was held on Nov 19, which saw Anwar appointed as the 10th Prime Minister and the establishment of the Unity Government.

The Dewan Rakyat meeting was held to table and approve a special allocation or mini-budget for the purpose of paying civil servants' emoluments from January.

Besides that, the focus of the Parliamentary meeting was also directed at the tabling of a motion of confidence to determine the legitimacy of the appointment of Anwar, who was sworn in as Prime Minister on Nov 24.

Earlier, former Sungai Petani MP Datuk Johari Abdul was elected as the new Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat after receiving the highest number of votes from Dewan Rakyat members.

Johari garnered 147 votes while Tan Sri Mohd Radzi Sheikh Ahmad, who was nominated by Perikatan Nasional, only got 74 votes.

GE15, which was described as the most intense the country had ever faced last November, ended in a hung Parliament when no party obtained a simple majority to form the new Federal Government.

In the election, Pakatan Harapan (PH) won 82 seats, Perikatan Nasional (PN) (73), Barisan Nasional (BN) (30), Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) (22), Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) (six) and Warisan (three).

The Unity Government was formed as a result of a coalition of political parties including PH, BN, GRS, GPS, and Warisan.

The Dewan Rakyat will sit for two days until Tuesday (Dec 20), while the Dewan Negara will convene for one day this Wednesday (Dec 21). - Bernama