PN rejects amendment for appointment of third Deputy Speaker

pic by BERNAMA

PERIKATAN Nasional (PN) supreme council does not support any proposal to amend the Federal Constitution to create the role of a third deputy speaker in the Dewan Rakyat.

PN chairman Tan Seri Muhyiddin Yassin (picture) said a third deputy speaker was among the terms agreed in the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between the federal government and Pakatan Harapan (PH).

“The PN Supreme Council is of the view that there is no need to create another role for the deputy speaker of the Dewan Rakyat now.

“Two deputy speakers as stipulated in Article 57(1)(b) of the Federal Constitution is sufficient to ensure the Dewan Rakyat runs smoothly,” he said in a statement yesterday.

He added Article 57(3) of the Federal Constitution also allows any members of the parliament to chair the meeting during the absence of both speaker and the deputy speakers.

The proposal to amend the constitutions would also require support from two-thirds of the Dewan Rakyat members.

He added the MoU signed between both parties last month are also limited to the terms agreed upon and stipulated in the agreement.

Both sides of the parties had signed a political agreement to cooperate at the federal level to seek solutions for the nation during the recovery process after the pandemic.

The six key areas in the MoU include enhancing the Covid-19 plan, administrative transformation, parliamentary reform, judiciary independence, Malaysia Agreement 63 and the formation of a steering committee.

“The amendment of the constitution to have a third deputy speaker was not included in the MoU. Therefore, it is not appropriate for any party to demand for its implementation.

“Based on this policy, PN does not support any proposal to amend the constitution for this reason,” he added.

Parliament and Law Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar had previously stated the government’s intention to increase the number of deputy speakers to three.

The move to add another deputy speaker in the Dewan Rakyat would require the amendment of Article 57 (1) (b) of the Federal Constitution.

Members of parliament had also voted to postpone the election of a new deputy speaker to make way for the amendments following the resignation of Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said as the deputy speaker.