KUALA LUMPUR – Cameron Highlands MP Datuk Ramli Mohd Nor will be nominated as the Dewan Rakyat deputy speaker, said Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan.
In a tweet, Ahmad said the decision was agreed on by both Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
YAB PM & YB Presiden #UMNO telah keduanya bersetuju agar:
— Ahmad b Maslan (@ahmadmaslan) October 11, 2021
YB Ramli Mohd Nor #AhliParlimen #CameronHighlands dicalonkan sbg Timbalan Speaker #DewanRakyat
Ini suatu sejarah, sbg Orang Asli yg pertama dicalon
Hari ini hari akhir untuk cadangan nama, sblm sidang #Parlimen 25/10/21 pic.twitter.com/Wi1cYeoUCz
“This is historic, as he is the first Orang Asli to be nominated (for the post). Today is the last day to submit candidates before Parliament resumes on October 25,” he tweeted.
This development comes after Ahmad, who is also the Pontian MP, was originally slated to be nominated for the post having been moved by Umno as its sole candidate.
However, following controversy over Umno’s initial selection as Ahmad is facing a trial for money laundering, Law Minister Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar announced last month that there will be no appointment to fill the vacant Dewan Rakyat deputy speaker seat in the current sitting.
This came after the lower House passed a motion moved by Wan Junaidi to suspend Standing Order 6 of the Dewan Rakyat, which requires two deputy speakers to be appointed at any one time.
The appointment has instead been postponed to the next parliamentary sitting that starts on October 25.
The deputy speaker’s seat fell vacant after Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said (Pengerang-BN) quit on August 23, citing hope for a reset to take place in the lower House.
Standing Order 6(1) stipulates that the House shall proceed to elect a replacement at the first convenient sitting after a vacancy in the office of the deputy speaker occurs.
The motion to postpone the appointment was passed via a simple voice vote. – The Vibes, October 11, 2021
