PR leadership council to decide on second Deputy Speaker position

(The Rakyat Post) – Selangor Menteri Besar Mohamed Azmin Ali (PKR- Bukit Antarabangsa) said the DAP’s demand for the second Deputy Speaker’s post would be discussed during the upcoming Pakatan Rakyat leadership council meeting.

Speaking to reporters at the sidelines of the state assembly sittings today, the PKR deputy president said that all parties had agreed to discuss the issue during the meeting.

“There are no issues or conflicts actually. The matter has already been brought up by DAP and I have personally discussed it with Tony Pua and we felt that it is best for the matter to be raised during the meeting before any decision is taken at the state assembly level,” he said without informing when the meeting would take place.

Asked on the allegations by DAP that Pakatan Rakyat had agreed that the post would be created and awarded to the party, Azmin said that if there was any promise made, then there would be no need for any discussion.

“Previously, DAP had brought up the matter as a suggestion only, nothing more,” he said, adding that as of now, the status quo of one Deputy Speaker would remain.

Yesterday, The Rakyat Post reported that DAP’s demand for a second Deputy Speaker’s post in the Selangor state assembly had earned the ire and criticism of several assemblymen from both sides of the divide, including PAS.

This, after Ng Suee Lim (DAP-Sekinchan), who is also state assembly chief whip, had said that DAP deserved to be given the post of second Deputy Speaker as the party had accorded full support to Pakatan Rakyat during the Selangor Menteri Besar crisis recently.

He had said that the demand was justified as DAP currently had only been given three state executive councillor posts and one state Speaker post despite the party having 15 state assemblymen.

This, Ng said, was unfair compared to PKR who had four state executive councillors and a Menteri Besar post despite having only 13 state assemblymen in Selangor.

Ng’s statement came following DAP Selangor chief Pua, who in his speech at the DAP Selangor Annual Convention, said that the party’s central and state leadership had unanimously agreed to support Ng’s candidacy as the second Deputy Speaker in Selangor.

Last week, Mohd Shafie Ngah (PAS-Bangi) was appointed Deputy Speaker of the Selangor state assembly following a secret vote count among state assemblymen during the state assembly sitting.