BARISAN Nasional lawmaker Khairy Jamaluddin has filed a private motion for a debate on the transition of power from Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad to Anwar Ibrahim, according to a notice by the Rembau MP to the Parliament secretariat.

A snapshot of the notice of motion, written on the Rembau MP’s official letterhead and dated November 20, is now being shared on WhatsApp.

Addressed to Dewan Rakyat secretary Roosme Hamzah, it calls for a motion to debate the transfer of power “from the prime minister (Langkawi) to YB Port Dickson”.

Dr Mahathir is Langkawi MP, while Anwar is the Port Dickson lawmaker.

“I, as Dewan Rakyat member representing Rembau, submit this motion according to Rule 27 of the Dewan Rakyat Standing Orders,” the notice said.

Standing Order 27 is on how MPs are to submit a notice of a motion. The Dewan Rakyat is current in its final sitting for the year until December 5.

It is uncertain if the motion will see the light of day as government matters still take precedence in the Dewan Rakyat’s agenda.

The notice has a stamp of receipt dated November 21, indicating that the secretariat has received it.

Deputy Dewan Rakyat Speaker Mohd Rashid Hason, when contacted, said he did not know of such a notice yet.

Calls to Khairy, as well as Dewan Rakyat secretary Roosme, went unanswered.

However, the MP later said in a Facebook post that the notice is fake, and asked not to be dragged into the succession issue, which “should be settled by Pakatan Harapan”.

Under an agreement between all PH parties, Dr Mahathir is to hand over the post to Anwar before the next general election.

Both leaders have repeatedly assured that the transition is on track but the lack of a specific timeline has seen critics of Dr Mahathir’s and Anwar supporters push forth conspiracy theories that the nonagenarian leader might renege on the promise.

In his latest remarks about the transition, Dr Mahathir said yesterday he met Anwar to discuss the transition and “the need to reduce the tension raised by people making all kinds of suggestions on when the transfer of power will happen”. – November 22, 2019.