All Opposition MP Walked Out of The Dewan Rakyat – Only Khairy Jamaluddin Remained In The Dewan
Opposition lawmakers are demanding a 14-day adjournment of the current Dewan Rakyat sitting in order to satisfy the notice period necessary for the appointment of Datuk Mohd Ariff Yusof as the Speaker. The group walked out of the Dewan Rakyat earlier after their objections to Ariff’s selection were ignored.
(The Coverage) – Kota Baru MP Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan from PAS, who led the walkout, insisted it was impossible for the letter of nomination for Ariff to have been submitted by July 2, the latest necessary to observe the 14-day notice period required by the Standing Orders.
“We have no problem with the choice of the Speaker. But because of this mandatory rule in the Standing Orders, we urge the sitting to be postponed by 14 days,” he said.
Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the 14-day standing order had not been followed.
“We are against the way the speaker was appointed. The Dewan Rakyat rules were not followed,” he said at a press conference here.
Umno’s Azalina Othman Said meanwhile said they needed to look at the letter of appointment to see if it was backdated.
MCA’s Wee Ka Siong said if the criteria were not followed, it meant that the government was not following orders.
“We are not against the speaker because the position of the speaker is important, but rules need to be followed,” he said.
Umno’s Annuar Musa added that former speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia had checked with Parliament staff after July 2 and was told that no name had been submitted.
“We cannot bend the rules. If they have a problem, suspend and renominate the speaker, and then we continue the sitting again.”
