KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 1 — Ahead of next week’s Dewan Rakyat sitting, Datuk Seri Najib Razak has reportedly been appointed Barisan Nasional (BN) backbenchers’ chairman.
The Malaysian Insight quoted sources as saying that the former prime minister’s appointment would provide him a position in the Dewan Rakyat to coordinate matters between BN backbenchers as Parliament meets to debate Budget 2021 on November 6.
“Najib was appointed recently ahead of the important Parliament meeting so he can direct the BN backbenchers in the house,” the source was quoted as saying.
As the backbenchers’ chairman, Najib will be in a position to decide the order of the debaters from the BN ranks and relay instructions to BN backbenchers on what they should speak about during debates.
The source also said Najib’s appointment comes amid tension between Umno and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, with Najib playing a bigger role to resolve the parties’ dispute.
“He is experienced so he can influence the parliamentarians,” the source said.
The BN coalition is made up of Umno, MCA and MIC and Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS)
BN has 43 MPs — Umno (39), MCA (2), MIC (1) and PBRS (1) — with 23 of them being backbenchers aligned to Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s Perikatan Nasional coalition government.
