PUTRAJAYA: A candidate has been proposed as the new Dewan Negara president, it has been revealed.
Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said the Cabinet was notified of the candidate being mooted.
“The (Cabinet) meeting was informed and now it is going through due process.
“The Prime Minister will announce this (matter) before the start of the Dewan Negara session,” he told reporters here yesterday.
The Dewan Negara president’s post has to be filled before Feb 26 for the official opening of the new session of Parliament by His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, the King of Malaysia.
The Senate will sit from March 18. The vacancy arose after Dewan Negara president Tun Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar stepped down to be made the Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Sarawak.
Fahmi, who is also the spokesman for the government, declined to elaborate when asked if there was more than one name proposed.
He also opted not to confirm when asked if the candidate is a man.
“I am not at liberty to say more. I only want to inform you that the process (of appointment) is ongoing, to be followed by an announcement,” he said.
On Tuesday, The Star reported that jostling for the Dewan Negara presidency had begun, with both Umno and Gabungan Parti Sarawak said to be keen on the position.
Several names had been bandied about for the position.
Among them are Deputy Dewan Negara president Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed and Sarawak legislative assembly deputy speaker Datuk Idris Buang.
From the Pakatan Harapan camp, former Parit Buntar MP and ex-minister Datuk Seri Dr Mujahid Yusof from Amanah, who is currently a senator, is also said to be among those tipped for the post.
Last month, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the unity government secretariat had met to discuss the appointment of the new Dewan Negara president.
