Speaker reiterates he has no power to bring forward motions

KUALA LUMPUR: Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun today reiterated that he does not have the power to expedite the motion of no confidence against the Prime Minister.

Azhar said he had done an in-depth research and according to the Westminster convention, he found that the Speaker did not have the power to bring forward the no-confidence motion to number one in the Order Paper.

“As such, I do not understand why many MPs, scholars, lawyers, including former attorney-general who still say that I have the power to do so.

"It is similar in South Africa, the UK (and) in Australia, we speak about the Westminster convention and that it should be followed here as well, so, we are following it. I am bound by the procedures that have been passed in this very Dewan Rakyat in the form of the Standing Orders," he said.

Earlier, before the debate on the 2021 Supply Bill began at the committee stage, RSN Rayer (PH-Jelutong) said the recent motion of confidence for Perak Menteri Besar had set precedence.

Sim Tze Tin (PH-Bayan Baru) said the matter should be decided immediately to ensure the country's political stability.

Meanwhile, Azhar said he had been explaining the issue for the past four months and urged all parties to stop raising the issue.

"I have explained the reasons for my actions, I think we have to stop here, I know my opinions are not accepted, but the fact is that it is the Westminster convention," he said.

-- BERNAMA