SURELY NOT ANOTHER ‘POWER GRABBING’ MOVE BY BERSATU QUARTERS? RAIS THE ‘SOLE’ NOMINEE FOR SPEAKER, CLAIMS REPORT EVEN AS OTHER HARAPAN LEADERS CONFIRM SHORTLIST OF MPs, NOT SENATORS ‘IN COMPLIANCE WITH GE14 MANIFESTO’

PETALING JAYA: Tan Sri Dr Rais Yatim is said to be the sole nominee from the Pakatan Harapan government for the post of Dewan Rakyat Speaker.

“(Dr) Rais is Pakatan Harapan’s man for the job,” said a source.

This comes as Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail reportedly said that the candidates for the Speaker post have been shortlisted and were now with Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

She said it was up to the Prime Minister to choose the Speaker.

Three names, including Dr Rais, were originally speculated for the post.

One of them, former Selangor state assembly Speaker Hannah Yeoh, had since been appointed into the Cabinet.

A source familiar with Dewan Rakyat’s procedures said under the Standing Orders, the name of the proposed Speaker must be submitted to the parliamentary secretariat 14 days before it convenes.

“It is likely that the secretariat already knows who Pakatan has proposed but are keeping a tight lid to prevent the names from being leaked out,” the source said.

If Dr Rais is the sole candidate, then under Standing Order 4(3), he will be appointed as Speaker without debate.

It is understood that Umno, the party with the biggest number of seats in the Opposition bloc, did not submit any name for the Speaker post.

While the parliamentary secretariat could give suggestions on the seating arrangement for the ministers and MPs, this is still up to the prerogative of the parties.

“It is just a practice. There is no black and white. If the parties don’t agree, they can change it but the Speaker also has to approve the plan.

“If the Speaker does not find it suitable, then it’s back to the drawing board,” said a source, adding that the final arrangement will likely to be known a day before the start of Parliament.

Dr Mahathir will be retaking the first seat on the Government bloc facing Opposition leader Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Next in line after the Prime Minister and his deputy Dr Wan Azizah will be a senior representative from the party with the highest number of seats, who is Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng.

In the same row with Lim will be senior representatives from Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia and Amanah – Home Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu.

Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who is facing a corruption trial but is still Pekan MP, is likely to join the “U” block reserved for senior members.

However, the question will be where Parti Warisan Sabah chief Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal – whose party has pledged to support Pakatan Harapan – and the most senior MP from Gabungan Parti Sarawak, PBB senior vice-president Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, will be sitting.  – ANN

DEWAN RAKYAT SPEAKER: POTENTIAL CANDIDATES SHORTLISTED

KUANTAN – The names of candidates for the post of Dewan Rakyat Speaker have been shortlisted and will be decided by the Pakatan Harapan (PH) top leadership before the parliament session convenes on July 16.

PH Secretariat chief Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah said each component party had submitted their respective candidates’ names and a voting process would be conducted.

“The Speaker will be appointed next Monday, before all members of the Dewan Rakyat take oath, usually the Speaker and the two deputies are combinations of the peninsular, Sabah and Sarawak … Malay and non-Malay.

“To meet the 14th General Election manifesto, the Speaker will be among the members of the Dewan Rakyat and not the Senate.

“This is because we want them to have a sense of responsibility to Dewan Rakyat members and to do their job fairly and equally,” he told reporters after attending an Aidilfitri open house hosted by Pelindung PKR division, near here today.

Asked on the possibility that the PH government would choose former minister Tan Sri Dr Rais Yatim as the new Speaker, Saifuddin refused to elaborate but reiterated that the post was for a member of the Dewan Rakyat.

Rais and Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh Tseow Suan were the people mentioned in media speculation as to who would hold the position.

In another development, Saifuddin, who is also Foreign Minister, confirmed that Malaysian Ambassador to the Vatican, Tan Sri Bernard Dompok, had returned to Malaysia after being told to do so on June 30.

Several heads of mission appointed by the previous government, including Dompok and Malaysian ambassador to Indo­nesia Datuk Seri Zahrain Mohamed Hashim, have been told to relinquish their positions and return home.

“We are now identifying suitable candidates to replace them,” said Saifuddin.

Meanwhile, in Kuala Lumpur, Rais said he had not received any ‘signal’ about his nomination as the new Dewan Rakyat Speaker.

“But it all depends on the proposal that the authorities may bring on July 16,” he said at an Aidilfitri open house at his residence here.— Bernama

ANN / BERNAMA