Saifuddin Abdullah says Dewan Rakyat Speaker will be an MP, with the latest speculation being Kit Siang also in the running for the post.
The names of candidates for the post of Dewan Rakyat Speaker have been shortlisted and will be decided by the Pakatan Harapan (PH) top leadership before the parliament session convenes on July 16.
Each component party had submitted their respective candidates’ names and a voting process would be carried out, according to PH Secretariat chief Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah.
“The Speaker will be appointed next Monday, before all members of the Dewan Rakyat take oath, usually the Speaker and the two deputies are combinations of the peninsular, Sabah and Sarawak…Malay and non-Malay.
“To meet the 14th General Election manifesto, the Speaker will be among the members of the Dewan Rakyat and not the Senate.
“This is because we want them to have a sense of responsibility to Dewan Rakyat members and to do their job fairly and equally,” he told reporters after attending an Aidilfitri open house hosted by Pelindung PKR division yesterday.
Asked on the possibility that the PH government would choose former minister Tan Sri Dr Rais Yatim as the new Speaker, Saifuddin declined to elaborate but reiterated that the post was for a member of the Dewan Rakyat.
Rais and Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh Tseow Suan were the people mentioned in media speculation as to who would hold the position.
Meanwhile, speculation also has it that DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang might be in the running to be Dewan Rakyat Speaker.
When pressed about the matter at the opening of the Kuala Terengganu DAP service centre on Monday, he declined to comment.
“No comments. I will not answer any political questions,” he said.
He added that he will leave the decision to the PH top leadership.
The Iskandar Puteri MP also stressed that politics is not about chasing titles, but serving the government and the people.
“What’s important now is that we fulfil the hopes of the people,” he said.
It was reported that a source said Rais is the sole nominee from the PH Government for the Speaker post.
This comes as Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail reportedly said that the candidates for the Speaker post have been shortlisted and were now with Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
She said it was up to the Prime Minister to choose the Speaker.