[UPDATED] I just changed my mind: Art Harun on rescinding invite for Nga to chair session

KUALA LUMPUR – Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun has refuted claims that he was pressured by a senior minister to withdraw his invitation to Nga Kor Ming (Teluk Intan-PH) to have him temporarily chair yesterday’s proceedings.

Clarifying the matter today, Azhar said he had initially offered Nga to chair the session from 2.30pm to 4pm, in line with Standing Order 7(3) of the Dewan Rakyat, but changed his mind at the eleventh hour.

The provision states that the speaker may at any time during a sitting ask an MP to take the chair temporarily, without formal communication to the House.

Azhar also dismissed suggestions that since an official letter had been issued to Nga to chair the session, the proceeding during that period is therefore invalid, considering the DAP lawmaker was not the one presiding.

“I would like to thank Nga for accepting my request. But I changed my mind at the last minute,” he said in the Dewan Rakyat today.

“Firstly, the proceedings (yesterday) was valid, because I returned to the chair. Secondly, I wasn’t driven or pressured by anyone to change my mind,” he added, but stopped short of explaining why he reversed his decision.

Azhar was responding to Gobind Singh Deo (Puchong-PH) who wanted clarification on the issue, following a media report yesterday that claimed a senior minister had pressured the speaker to rescind his invitation to Nga.

“Shouldn’t the speaker be the one to make decisions? Whenever we raise an issue based on a Standing Order, the speaker will always make a decision and say that it is final.

“In this case, the speaker has already invited an MP to chair the House. Today, Gombak MP (Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali) was also here. I want to know if he was the minister responsible, because he didn’t have the courage to answer earlier.”

Multiple attempts by several opposition MPs to seek further explanation from Azhar on why he rescinded the invitation to Nga were blocked by the speaker.

“Can you please sit down? I want to continue with the debates… I’ve said, I used my power under Standing Order 7(3) of the Dewan Rakyat (to invite Nga to chair), but I changed my mind,” Azhar said.

Earlier today, when Deputy Speaker Datuk Mohd Rashid Hasnon was chairing the House, a number of MPs had questioned who the senior minister involved was, and demanded that his identity be revealed.

Other than Azmin, the other senior ministers in cabinet are Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar — who was also present with Azmin during this morning’s session — as well as Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.

Gobind then challenged Azmin to clarify whether he was indeed the minister who gave the order for Azhar to rescind the invitation to Nga.

Azmin responded by saying: “I am brave for abiding by parliamentary rules. This is the question-and-answer session. You as a lawyer should know.” – The Vibes, September 21, 2021