PN Secures Vote To Remove Dewan Rakyat Speaker

Editor's Note: This story's headline has been edited for accuracy.

According to New Straits Times, 111 Members of Parliament (MPs) voted in favour of Mohamad Ariff's removal, while 109 MPs voted against it.

Such an outcome is not only unprecedented in Malaysia's history - with Mohamad Ariff being the first Speaker removed since the nation's independence 62 years ago - but it also serves as a proxy that Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin commands the majority support in the august house, reported Malaysiakini.

Malaysia's lower house of parliament has a total of 222 seats. A simple majority requires at least 112 votes.

However, it is worth noting that one MP was absent today, while Deputy Speaker Datuk Rashid Hasnon did not vote as he was chairing the proceeding.

With Mohamad Ariff being voted out as Dewan Rakyat Speaker, it stands to show that majority of MPs support Muhyiddin, hence acknowledging him as the nation's prime minister. The opposition had in the past criticised Muhyiddin for pushing such a motion.

In the event a vote of no-confidence is pushed against Muhyiddin, it is likely that the Pagoh MP will come out on top and continue serving as the country's eighth Prime Minister.

The motion to remove the Dewan Rakyat Speaker and Deputy Speaker was filed on 26 June and tabled by Muhyiddin today.

"The motion fulfils the prerequisites; firstly, it was done in accordance with the Dewan Rakyat Standing Order 4(1) which states that the candidate to be nominated as the Speaker must be willing to serve and that a 14-day motion is submitted prior to the (Dewan Rakyat) meeting, and not vacancy of the post," New Straits Times quoted Takiyuddin as saying.

Secondly, he added that Mohamad Ariff accepted the motion, hence proving that the papers are in order.

"Thirdly, Standing Order 27(4) states that the Dewan Rakyat secretary need not issue a notice to the MPs on the motion," he said.

Mohamad Ariff has been replaced by former Election Commission (EC) chairperson Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun - a non-MP.

Pengerang MP Azalina Othman has also replaced Nga Kor Ming as Deputy Speaker.

The motion, filed by former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, is right at the bottom of the Order Paper as 'item 27'.

However, New Straits Times noted, "It is widely known [that] private motions by members of the opposition are not given priority in the august house and so, the controversial motion would unlikely see the light of day this week."

Today's proceeding comes 56 days after the first Parliament seating under the PN administration on 18 May.

The one-day Parliament seating had no debates, with the royal address being only the agenda. MPs were only in the august house slightly over an hour before it was concluded.