KUALA LUMPUR, July 6 — Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin is reportedly expected to name outgoing Election Commission (EC) chairman Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun as the Dewan Rakyat Speaker during the upcoming Dewan Rakyat sitting on July 13.
In addition, The Edge Markets reported that Muhyiddin is also expected to suggest Umno’s Pengerang MP Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said as deputy speaker.
The news report said that Muhyiddin is scheduled to move for Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Datuk Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof and Deputy Speaker Nga Ko Ming to vacate their positions for Azhar and Azalina’s nominations on July 13, according to an Order Paper issued to all MPs that was sighted by the news portal.
The motion also stated that Muhyiddin had received the agreement of the two individuals to serve the positions should they be appointed, in line with Order 4(1) of the Standing Orders of the Dewan Rakyat.
Malay Mail has yet to verify the veracity of the Order Paper with any MP or the current Speaker.
Last week, electoral watchdog Bersih 2.0 urged MPs to reject the motion to remove Mohamad Arif and Nga from their positions.
Speculation had been rife in recent weeks about the appointment of Azhar, a trained lawyer also known as Art Harun, as Speaker.
The report also pointed out that Azalina, who is currently a member of the Umno Supreme Council, has served multiple roles in the Cabinet, including her last stint as law minister in the Prime Minister’s Department under former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak up until May 2018.
The July 13 session will be the second meeting of the third session of the 14th Parliament, scheduled to last 25 days until Aug 27.
