Johor speaker hopes respect for sultan will result in uneventful sitting

Johor state speaker Suhaizan Kaiat is hoping that assemblypersons' respect for Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Ismail will result in an uneventful sitting this Thursday.

This is after the drama in Malacca today, which saw Perikatan Nasional reconvening the state assembly without the opposition in order to install a new speaker - a move that can almost be replicated in Johor.

Suhaizan (above) said unlike Malacca, the Johor PN state government had not submitted any motions in advance to replace him, and had actually requested for the sitting to end after Sultan Ibrahim officiates it.

Assemblypersons are allowed to raise motions on the spot, subject to the speaker's approval, but Suhaizan said it would not be appropriate to do this while the monarch is in the State House.

"So a motion (rundingan) can be made on the spot, but not during the officiating ceremony, only during the sitting (debate session).

"Because Thursday will only have the officiating ceremony, it is not appropriate to raise a motion while Sultan Ibrahim is still in the House.

"I trust that both sides respect the sultan as head of state, so that nothing extraordinary will happen on Thursday," he told Malaysiakini.

While Thursday's sitting is officially supposed to end after Sultan Ibrahim's address, both PN and Pakatan Harapan are speculated to be planning to strike against the other.

A Bersatu source had claimed that PN is gathering SDs to support a bid to remove Suhaizan, who is from Amanah.

Meanwhile, it is believed that Harapan is planning to move a motion of no confidence against Johor Menteri Besar Hasni Mohammad (below).

Suhaizan had said previously that he would give consideration if either side requests for Thursday's sitting to be extended into the afternoon.

However, even if he doesn't consent, it is possible for PN to pull off what their Malacca counterparts did.

If PN reconvenes without the speaker present, Standing Order 4(1)(b) of the Johor state assembly allows the menteri besar to nominate one of the members present to chair the sitting instead.

This would allow them to push for a motion to remove Suhaizan as speaker, but not replace him immediately.

This is as Johor's Standing Orders require that a candidate for speaker be named 24 hours before they can be elected.

However, there is doubt being cast by certain quarters on whether Hasni has the full backing of Bersatu assemblypersons to pull off a move to remove Suhaizan.

Johor Bersatu has been at odds with Umno over political appointments. Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who is also Gambir assemblyperson, had intervened last week and urged both sides to resolve their dispute, but there still appears to be lingering tensions.

Bersatu is also split among itself between those loyal to Muhyiddin, and those who side with Bersatu chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Harapan.

PN has just 29 state seats in Johor, against 27 from Harapan. A single defection from PN would cause a hung assembly. - Mkini