Malaysia elects new parliament speaker

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) – In its first sitting, the Malaysian parliament on Monday elected a new speaker.

Johari Abdul was elected the new speaker of the parliament, locally known as Dewan Rakyat, replacing Azhar Azizan Harun.

Johari’s name was proposed by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim which was supported by deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Besides administering oaths to 222 lawmakers, the parliament will also debate a confidence motion on the unity government led by Anwar who was elected chief executive last month.

A reformist leader, Anwar, 75, is leading a unity government, formed among his Alliance of Hope or Pakatan Harapan (PH), National Front, or Barisan Nasional (BN) and Sarawak Parties Alliance or Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS).

Malaysia held its 15th general elections on Nov. 19 which threw up a hung parliament of 222 seats. PH was leading with 82 seats.

Anwar announced his Cabinet of 27 members last Friday, including two deputy prime ministers – Ahmad Zahid Hamidi of the BN and Fadillah Yusof of the GPS.

According to a memorandum of understanding signed among the parties of the unity government, “any lawmaker who votes against the government will be deemed to have resigned.”

The confidence motion is expected to be debated by four government and three opposition lawmakers before coming up for a vote.