Art Harun confirms motions filed to remove him as speaker

KUALA LUMPUR – Embattled Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun has confirmed receiving over a dozen motions from parliamentarians seeking his removal as speaker of the Dewan Rakyat.

However, he said he has informed the respective MPs that he is not in a position to make any decision on the matter, over concern of conflict of interest.

Instead, Azhar, more popularly known as Art Harun, said any decision pertaining to the motions will be left to his deputy, Datuk Mohd Rashid Hasnon.

“I have never taken part in any way, or interfered, in the decision over the motions that were filed,” he said in a statement today.

“In fact, I have no idea on whatever decision that may have been made by the deputy speaker.”

His statement was in response to a report by Utusan Malaysia that at least 15 motions have been filed by MPs seeking a change of Dewan Rakyat speaker, of which all were rejected.

The Malay daily quoted a source as claiming that Azhar had rejected the motion from even being debated in the coming sitting, scheduled for September 13 to October 12.

In his statement, Azhar said the report by Utusan Malaysia, which insinuated that he had rejected the motions, is false and malicious, with an intent of harming his reputation.

“I will get legal advice on this matter in the near future,” he said.

Azhar, who was appointed by former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin in July last year, has been a controversial figure among the opposition and the public over his handling of the august House.

In particular, he was criticised and accused of defending Muhyiddin on a number of occasions, when the premier was on his last legs.

His alleged contentious actions included limiting the proceedings of the special sitting in July and failing to protect the rights of parliamentarians by allowing a police blockade near Parliament last month.

Pakatan Harapan had on multiple occasions called for his resignation.

Azhar had said previously that he would leave it to the discretion of new Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who was sworn in on August 21, to decide on his fate as speaker. –  The Vibes, September 2, 2021