The Kuala Lumpur High Court has postponed today’s initially scheduled decision of an application to strike out a legal challenge against the appointment of Azhar Azizan Harun as the Dewan Rakyat speaker.
Azhar’s counsel Amer Hamzah Arshad today confirmed that the court has set a new date of Jan 18 next year to deliver its decision on the striking-out application by the speaker.
The lawyer was speaking over the postponement of today’s scheduled decision date, due to the ongoing conditional movement control order (MCO) in Putrajaya, Selangor and Kuala Lumpur.
“The matter has been postponed,” Amer informed Malaysiakini this morning.
“We have been informed by the (High Court) deputy registrar (that Jan 18 has been set as the new decision date).
“We have proposed (to the court) Jan 18 for the decision of the speaker’s striking-out application as that is the common date (available) of all parties,” he added.
Today was initially fixed for the decision on the striking out applications by Azhar and three others against the lawsuit by former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad and four others.
On Nov 7, the government announced that the conditional MCO over Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, and Putrajaya would be further extended to Dec 6.
Aside from Azhar, the other defendants are deputy speakers - Azalina Othman Said and Mohd Rashid Hasnon - and Dewan Rakyat secretary Nizam Mydin Bacha Mydin.
The lawsuit, among others, targeted the validity of the appointments of Azhar and Azalina as speaker and deputy speaker, but does not target the validity of Rashid’s post as deputy speaker.
On July 23, the plaintiffs - Langkawi MP Mahathir, Jerlun MP Mukhriz Mahathir, Simpang Renggam MP Maszlee Malik, Kubang Pasu MP Amiruddin Hamzah, and Sri Gading MP Shahruddin Md Salleh - filed the originating summons.
The five plaintiffs are seeking a court declaration that the appointments of Azhar and Azalina are invalid and contravene the Federal Constitution and Dewan Rakyat standing orders.
They also seek a declaration that following the vacating of the speaker’s post previously held by Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof, all MPs must be given an opportunity to find a candidate for the position.
The five plaintiffs also want a declaration that the posts of the Dewan Rakyat speaker and deputy speaker have remained vacant since July 13. - Mkini
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