'Remove me if you don't like me' - speaker to MPs

PARLIAMENT | Dewan Rakyat speaker Johari Abdul said parliamentarians should remove him from his position via a motion if they do not like the way he handles the sittings.

This comes after an argument broke out in the house earlier over alleged “conflict of interest” in the approval of a motion submitted by Taufiq Johari (Pakatan Harapan-Sungai Petani). Taufiq is Johari’s son.

Johari (above) pointed out that as the speaker, he was not appointed by any party but was elected by the lawmakers themselves.

“If you don’t like me then put a motion, get me out of here, that’s all,” he said as he chaired the afternoon session of Parliament today.

Earlier, Awang Solahuddin Hashim (Perikatan Nasional-Pendang) had remarked “anak bapa” when Shahidan Kassim (PN-Arau) questioned why Taufiq’s motion was approved before his.

Shahidan said he submitted his motion on Tuesday while Taufiq sent his in on Wednesday.

Awang Solahuddin’s comment prompted Taufiq and RSN Rayer (Harapan-Jelutong) to urge the former to explain and retract his statement respectively.

‘Do not attack the speaker’

The Pendang lawmaker replied simply with “conflict of interest” but did not elaborate.

Deputy speaker Alice Lau, who was presiding over the session at the time, explained that there was no conflict of interest as Taufiq’s motion was given to her fellow deputy speaker Ramli Mohd Nor to deliberate.

She later decided to eject Awang from the House when he did not retract his statements.

Johari explained that there is no double standard as implied by Shahidan, as the Arau MP’s motion was completely unrelated to the issue Taufiq’s motion brought.

He also urged lawmakers not to involve him in their arguments in the Dewan Rakyat.

“Do not attack the speaker. You have your say but the speaker has his way,” he said.