BARISAN Nasional’s (BN) Cameron Highlands MP Datuk Ramli Md Nor and Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) Lanang MP Alice Lau have been elected as the Dewan Rakyat’s new deputy speakers.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had nominated Ramli and Lau for the two vacant posts while Masjid Tanah MP Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin is the Opposition’s sole candidate for the post.
Ramli received 148 votes – a two-thirds majority – while Lau received 146 votes, although it remains unclear who the government MPs who did not vote for Lau are. Meanwhile, Mas Ermieyati received only 74 votes.
Earlier, former Sungai Petani MP Johari Abdul was made the new Dewan Rakyat Speaker, taking over the post from Tan Sri Azhar Azizan Harun.
Johari had been nominated by Anwar, while Opposition leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin had nominated Tan Sri Mohd Radzi Sheikh Ahmad for the post.
Johari received 147 votes while Radzi obtained 74 votes with one MP absent, namely Mukah MP Hanifah Hajar Taib.
The PKR man vacated his Gurun state seat in Kedah yesterday. – Dec 19, 2022