Lau Weng San is new Selangor Speaker

SHAH ALAM: Former Banting assemblyman Lau Weng San has been appointed Selangor state assembly Speaker.

The appointment makes DAP's Lau, 45, the state's 12th Speaker.

It was announced at the Selangor State Legislative Assembly here on Tuesday (Sept 19).

The selection was made through a secret ballot conducted by assembly secretary J. Gayathri Prasena as there were two candidates for the position.

Pakatan Harapan nominated Lau as well as PKR Bukit Antarabangsa assemblyman Kamri Kamaruddin as deputy.

Perikatan Nasional nominated PAS deputy commissioner III Dr Mohd Fuad Salleh for the Speaker and Sungai Ramal assemblyman Shafie Ngah as deputy.

Lau and Kamri received 34 votes each while Dr Mohd Fuad and Shafie received 22 votes apiece, reflecting the assembly's composition of 34 unity pact and 22 Perikatan elected representatives this term.

After Lau was duly installed as Speaker and acknowledged by the House, he then swore Kamri in as his deputy.

Following Lau and Kamri's appointment, the state's 56 assemblymen took their oath of office before the new Speaker.

Lau, a father of three, holds two degrees from Universiti Malaya; the first in chemical engineering obtained in 2002 and the second, a Bachelor's in jurisprudence, in 2017.

Lau, who joined DAP in 2004, worked as a process engineer in an oil and gas consultancy firm for three years upon graduation before becoming a career politician.