Changes in PAS MPs' seating in Parliament on Monday

The seating of PAS MPs, led by Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang (PAS-Marang) has now been changed from their current Block I to Block G with some at Block F, according to the Dewan Rakyat members seating arrangement diagram uploaded on the Malaysian Parliament website, www.parlimen.gov.my.

Previously, when he was with the opposition pact Pakatan Rakyat, Abdul Hadi with some senior party leaders were placed with the PKR and DAP leadership at Block I. The PAS seats will now be filled by MPs of a new party formed by a PAS splinter group called Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah), which is now allied with PKR and DAP and have named their coalition as Pakatan Harapan.

The party's vice-president Datuk Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa (Amanah-Parit Buntar) will occupy the seat alongside PKR president and opposition leader Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (PKR-Permatang Pauh), DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Gelang Patah) and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng (DAP-Bagan) at Block I-3.

Also in Block I are Amanah's committee members Mohamed Hanipa Maidin (Amanah-Sepang), Khalid Abd Samad (Amamah-Shah Alam), Wanita chief Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud (Amanah-Kota Raja) and Datuk Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah Raja Ahmad (Amanah-Kuala Terengganu).

Another Amanah committee member Dr Mohd Hatta Md Ramli (Amanah-Kuala Krai) is placed at Block H, alongside PKR deputy president Mohamed Azmin Ali (PKR-Gombak), DAP deputy president Tan Kok Wai (DAP-Cheras) and PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar (PKR-Lembah Pantai).

On Oct 1, the Registrar of Societies (RoS) had approved an application for a name change by the Workers' Party of Malaysia to its new name Parti Amanah Negara based on the decision of an extraordinary congress held by the party on Aug 25 and Sept 8.

PAS now has only 14 MPs compared with 21 previously.

One of Malaysia's longest serving MPs, Dr Tan Seng Giaw, now has been moved to Block F. Previously, he was among the DAP MPs placed together with the opposition's senior leaders at Block I.

Besides the six PAS MPs who had joined Amanah, its Tumpat MP Datuk Kamarudin Jaffar had also joined PKR on Sept 11.

Meanwhile, owing to the Cabinet reshuffle announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak on July 28, five MPs from the BN segment will also see a change in their seating in the Dewan Rakyat.

Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who was appointed as Deputy Prime Minister is now placed in the first row of Block A, next to the Prime Minister, while former deputy prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin will be sitting in the first row of Block E with Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah and Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan.

Also occupying seats at Block E are former Rural and Regional Development minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal, former MIC president and former Natural Resources and Environment minister Datuk Seri G. Palanivel, former Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism minister Datuk Seri Hasan Malek and former Science, Technology and Innovation minister Datuk Dr Ewon Ebin.

Palanivel's previous seat at Block A is replaced by new MIC president Datuk Seri S. Subramaniam, who is also Health Minister.

Also the seats for newly appointed ministers have also been changed including for Datuk Hamzah Zainudin (Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister) and Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar (Natural Resources and Environment Minister).

Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid (Education Minister), Datuk Wilfred Madius Tangau (Science, Technology and Innovation Minister), Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said (Minister in the Prime Minister's Department) and Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan (Second International Trade and Industry Minister).

There are also changes in the seating of newly appointed deputy ministers namely for Deputy Home Minister Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed, Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican and Deputy Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin.

Deputy Home Minister II Masir anak Kujat, Deputy Finance Minister, Datuk Johari Abdul Ghani and Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister Nogeh anak Gumbek.

Among the new faces are Senator Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Salleh Tun Said Keruak, who was appointed as Communications and Multimedia Minister, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Senator Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki and Deputy Education Minister Senator Chong Sin Woon.

The Dewan Rakyat proceedings, which will convene on Monday for 25 days are expected to be heated this time around, with Najib due to table Budget 2016 on Friday, apart from other current issues.

Najib is also expected to submit a motion to name Rompin MP Datuk Hasan Arifin as the new Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman replacing Nur Jazlan.

In the meantime, the final report on the redelineation of electoral boundaries for Sarawak is also expected to be tabled this session due to a possibility that the state election will be held early next month.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Nancy Shukri was reported as saying that the tabling of the report would enable the 11 newly created state seats to be approved and gazetted, bringing the total number of state seats in Sarawak to 82, for contest in the 11th state election.

Five bills are also scheduled to be tabled for first reading namely Supply Bill 2016, Employees Provident Fund (Amendment) Bill 2015, Malaysia Deposit Insurance Corporation (Amendment) Bill 2015, Companies Bill 2015 and Interest Schemes Bill 2015.