DEWAN Rakyat Speaker Azhar Azizan Harun denied he was forced by a senior minister to change his mind about letting an opposition MP temporarily preside over Parliament proceedings yesterday.

“It is true that I had asked Nga Kor Ming (Teluk Intan-PH) to preside over yesterday afternoon’s proceedings but I changed my mind at the last minute.

“I was not pressured by anyone,” Azhar told the Dewan Rakyat today.

Azhar was responding to Gobind Singh DEO (Puchong-PH) who asked whether the speaker had used Standing Orders 7(3) to request an MP to chair one of the sessions yesterday. 

Gobind also asked Azhar to explain why he had changed his mind after asking Nga to preside over yesterday’s proceedings.

“Did the speaker change his mind after a senior minster interfered?” said Gobind.

Earlier today, Gobind had challenged Senior Minister Mohamed Azmin Ali (Gombak-PN) to state whether he had interfered in Azhar’s decision to appoint Nga as a temporary speaker.

If that did occur, it would amount to executive interference in the affairs of Parliament.

Azmin, however, evaded Gobind’s question, saying he would not respond as it was the wrong forum to do so.

“I have courage, but this is the question-and-answer session. You as a lawyer should know,” said Azmin before his microphone was switched off by Deputy Speaker Rashid Hasnon (Batu Pahat-PN) who presided over the morning sitting. – September 21, 2021.