Opposition senators are calling on the Perikatan Nasional government to reconsider any plan it may have to appoint Bersatu man Rais Yatim as Dewan Negara president.
They claimed the Negeri Sembilan Bersatu chief was “not suitable” for the role, casting doubt the latter would be able to build consensus among various senate members.
“Dewan Negara is by demeanour a more collegiate house and we need a president who is able to build consensus among members. We are of the view that Rais Yatim is not suitable for such a role.
“We call on the government to negotiate with all political parties represented in the Dewan Negara on the position of the next president with the aim of electing a president that is acceptable to all,” read a statement sent by several opposition senators.
The statement was signed by Yusmadi Yusoff (PKR), Aiman Athirah Al Jundi (Amanah), Liew Chin Tong (DAP), Theodore Douglas Lind (Warisan), Donald Peter Mojuntin (Upko) and Marzuki Yahya (Pejuang).
Rais was sworn-in as a senator on June 16. The previous senate president SA Vigneswaran’s term ended on June 22.
It was previously reported that Rais, a former Umno veteran and cabinet minister, is touted to take Vigneswaran’s place.
Rais served as Negeri Sembilan menteri besar from 1978 to 1982, when still with Umno.
He has helmed several ministries in his long political career - among them the Information, Communication and Culture Ministry as well as the Foreign Ministry.
Rais famously quit Umno in the 1990s to join former finance minister Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah in breakaway party Semangat 46. He returned to Umno after the party dissolved.
He quit Umno a second time following GE14 in 2018 and joined Bersatu.
Recently, he was tasked with leading a committee to study the party’s proposal to create a new chapter to allow non-bumiputera associate members to hold positions in Bersatu. - Mkini
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