KUALA LUMPUR – Bersatu’s Machang MP Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal has revealed that opposition coalition Perikatan Nasional (PN) has nominated former Umno man Tan Sri Mohd Radzi Sheikh Ahmad as the Dewan Rakyat speaker.
Wan Fayhsal in a BFM radio interview today also said he is interested to see who is finally picked as speaker when Dewan Rakyat convenes next Monday.
“I’m not too concerned about the vote of confidence (for the prime minister) but I’m more interested to see how the voting for the speaker would turn out.”
Radzi, 80, is a former Kangar MP between 1982 and 1990, and 2004 to 2013. He is currently a senator.
He quit Umno for the second time in December 2018 to join Bersatu. He also previously served as law minister (2004-2006) and home minister (2006-2008).
Radzi is also son of the late Tan Sri Sheikh Ahmad Mohd Hashim, who was former Perlis menteri besar.
The first session of the 15th Parliament’s first term will take place for two days, and its main agenda includes the speaker selection and the motion of confidence on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s leadership.
Based on the first session notice issued recently by the Dewan Rakyat secretary for distribution to MPs, the speaker’s selection and swearing are among the first items on the day’s agenda.
This will be followed by the swearing in of all 222 MPs who were elected during the 15th general election.
Previously, it was also reported that Bersatu secretary-general Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin was picked as the opposition leader in the lower house while PAS secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan will be PN’s chief whip. – The Vibes, December 13, 2022