Election of deputy speaker postponed for fourth time

The election of a deputy speaker for the Dewan Rakyat to replace Azalina Othman Said, scheduled for today, has been postponed again for the fourth time. 

The motion on the deferment was tabled by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Parliament and Law) Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, who proposed that the motion for the election of a deputy speaker, which was item number one on today's order paper, be postponed to the next meeting of the House.

"In accordance with Standing Order 90 (2) and with the consent of the speaker, I submit a motion to stop the undertaking of Standing Order 6 which is to postpone the election of a deputy speaker of the House as per item number one stated in the Standing Orders and motions for today, to the next meeting," he said.

The motion was seconded by Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Parliament and Law) Mas Ermieyati Samsudin and thereafter received the unanimous support of the MPs present.

On Aug 23 last year, Azalina resigned from the post although she continued to serve as interim deputy speaker for the duration of the sitting.
 
The motion to postpone the election of the deputy speaker was brought up for the first time by Wan Junaidi on Sept 14 last year and again on Oct 25, followed by a motion for the same by Mas Ermieyati at the March 1 meeting this year.

Wan Junaidi said the motion was originally listed in the Order Paper of the Second Meeting of the Fourth Term but had to be postponed to allow for the amendment to Article 57 (1)(b) of the Federal Constitution to increase the number of deputy speakers of the House of Representatives from two to three.

Article 57 (1) (b) of the Federal Constitution states that the Dewan Rakyat shall from time to time elect two deputy speakers from among the MPs.