Ramli, Alice elected Deputy Speakers of Dewan Rakyat

KUALA LUMPUR: Cameron Highlands Member of Parliament Datuk Ramli Md Nor and Lanang Member of Parliament Alice Lau have been elected as the new Deputy Speakers of Dewan Rakyat.

Ramli dan Alice whose nomination was proposed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim garnered 148 and 146 votes, respectively against 74 votes obtained by another candidate Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin who is also former Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Parliament and Law).

Perikatan Nasional (PN) Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan who is also PAS secretary-general had earlier proposed Mas Ermieyati as the Opposition's candidate for the post.

Speaker Datuk Johari Abdul called for a ballot vote as there were there were more than two candidates proposed for the post as stated under Standing Orders 6(2) and 4(3) of the Dewan Rakyat Standing Orders on the procedure for the election of Deputy Speakers.

When asked by Takiyuddin whether each MP could choose more than one candidate for the post, Johari said each MP was only allowed to vote for two names.

Article 57 (1)(b) of the Federal Constitution states that the Dewan Rakyat shall from time to time elect two Deputy Speakers from among members of the House.

Johari also announced Larut MP Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin as the leader of the Opposition in Dewan Rakyat.

"According to Standing Order 4A (3), I would like to announce that Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin has received support to be appointed as the Opposition leader," he said.

-- BERNAMA