The Malaysian Insight

THE Perikatan Nasional federal government may replace the Dewan Rakyat speaker in the next parliament sitting, said Umno secretary-general Annuar Musa.

He said it is a long-held practice that the first agenda in a parliamentary sitting for a new government is to pick a new speaker.

“We need to understand that there will be changes in parliament if a new government comes in, including the replacement of the speaker.

“Naturally the new government will issue a notice to replace the speaker,” he told reporters after a meeting with MCA today.

Amanah’s Mohamad Ariff Yusof is the current Dewan Rakyat speaker, elected after Pakatan Harapan won the last general election.

At the same press conference, Annuar said Perikatan Nasional will soon form a secretariat made up of the secretaries-general of all the component parties.

“All parties, even the smallest, will be part of this secretariat. We will have to work together,” he said.

Bersatu, too, will be part of this secretariat, he said.

Bersatu defected from PH to form the federal government with Barisan Nasional and PAS. Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin is the prime minister, but Umno has the seats in parliament among the coalition partners.

Bersatu is now divided with some of its leaders, including secretary-general Marzuki Yahya, siding with party founder and former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Annuar said he was informed that Bersatu would decide on the fate of its secretary-general in the next few days. – March 4, 2020.