The Malaysian Insight

DEWAN Rakyat Speaker Azhar Azizan Harun has instructed lawmakers to sign statutory declarations (SDs) to indicate their support for a new prime minister and inform Istana Negara by tomorrow.
 
“To assist the Yang di-Pertuan appoint an MP to be the next prime minister, I hereby give notice to all MPs to state who they support to be the ninth prime minister in a statutory declaration,” said Azhar in a letter to all MPs.
 
“These statutory declarations must be handed to Istana Negara before 4pm on Wednesday, August 18,” said the Speaker.

Azhar said he was following the Agong’s orders and that the choice must be sent to the Agong’s private secretary Nazim Mohd Alim.

He said the letter has to be submitted through fax, email, or WhatsApp on or before the 4pm deadline.

The speaker said hand-delivered or late submissions will not be entertained.

He said the MPs must clearly state who they support in the SDs.

A copy of the letter, which is dated today, was given to The Malaysian Insight.
 
This is the first time a Dewan Rakyat Speaker has gotten involved in the process of appointing a new prime minister. 

According to Article 43(2a) of the Federal Constitution, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is expected to appoint a new prime minister, who he deems has the support of the majority of MPs in Dewan Rakyat.
 
There is no constitutional provision or precedent for the Dewan Rakyat Speaker to get involved in the process.
 
According to party sources, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong will be meeting all party leaders at the palace at 2pm today, following Muhyiddin Yassin’s resignation yesterday.
 
The last two weeks has seen the Pagoh MP lose his wafer-thin parliamentary majority after 15 Umno MPs pulled their support for him and the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government.
 
The Bersatu president had refused to resign as prime minister. 

However, he had to relinquish his post when his final attempt of extending an olive branch to the opposition on Friday failed after all opposition parties rejected his offer of reforms in exchange for support.
 
Muhyiddin resigned yesterday after 532 days in office, which he assumed after joining forces with Umno, PAS, Gabungan Parti Sarawak and, crucially, a group of rebel PKR MPs to oust the Pakatan Harapan government in February last year.
 
His short-lived administration, the briefest in Malaysia’s history, was centred on fighting the Covid-19 pandemic, while manoeuvring to keep his slim majority intact.
 
The 74-year-old former Umno politician became the country’s eighth prime minister in March last year, after Dr Mahathir Mohamad resigned as prime minister following the Sheraton Move.
 
Muhyiddin had led Bersatu MPs out of Pakatan Harapan and with support from Umno, PAS, and a breakaway faction from PKR, toppled the Pakatan Harapan government.
 
Currently, the PN coalition counts 100 MPs among its ranks. – August 17, 2021.