We saw recently that the Honourable Member from Bagan Datok filed two motions that ruffled some feathers; one to remove the sitting Parliamentary Speaker and, the other to nominate the Honourable Member from Pengerang to take the presiding seat of the August house.

These substantive and valid submissions were snubbed outright, first by the Speaker recusing himself from ruling on the matter citing conflict of interest, and subsequently by the deputy Speaker on technical grounds not clearly defined.

The House Speaker is afforded the power to exert finality on whether or not certain matters are to be enterred into the House’s order of business. But artcle 99 of the Parliamentary standing orders expressedly states that the absolute finality lies upon the House itself.

It is unadulteratedly clear, that under circumstances where the ruling of presiding Speaker is called to question – in this case very much so- the said ruling can and must be subjected to House for review; and I cite the following reasons;

The motions are brought by the President of UMNO, a party within the block of Members that constitutes the House Majority, what more, the largest single party in the said block. Denying the House it’s say on such a mattter, is blatantly and purposely ignoring the palpitating pulse of the House. That itself constitutes a grave failure and traiterous act – if not treacherous- towards parliamentary democracy.

The Speaker has consistently courted controversy and brought accusations unto Parliament of being a “House of ill repute” since his very installation. Speak not of confidence of the entire House, he may not even garner sufficient support even among the majority block.

The nomination of the Honourable Member from Pengerang is a sound one. Her conduct both within and outside the House during her service as the Deputy Speaker has provided hope for the realisation of many Democratic reforms. As to her agreeableness to both sides of the House- though can only be determined by a motion such as Bagan Datok’s- is far superior in comparison to the sitting Speaker.

It is with the above thoughts – founded on facts, parliamentary conventions, and the standing orders no less, that I urge the Honourable Member from Bagan Datok to submit a substantive motion in accordance to article 43 of the parliamentary Standing orders

to overturn the Deputy Speaker’s unparliamentary and undemocratic ruling.

Lest not we forget how the sitting Speaker has brought the House ill repute; it must up be to the house itself to decide who to preside.