PAKATAN Harapan its allies from Parti Warisan Sabah and Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s Bersatu faction will defend Dewan Rakyat Speaker Mohamad Ariff Yusof and his deputy Nga Kor Ming, said Anwar Ibrahim.

The opposition leader said all opposition MPs will reject the motion to remove Ariff and Nga.

“We are firm on this issue. We stand united that we will reject the motion tomorrow. This consensus is also agreed by Warisan and Bersatu members supporting Dr Mahathir Mohamad,” he said after a meeting with PH MPs today. 

“I hope everyone will reject the motion. So far, Ariff and Nga’s performances have been great and consistent with the ideas of reform. There is no basis to change the speaker,” he added.

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin last week put in a motion to replace Ariff and Nga.

This comes after Ariff had accepted Dr Mahathir’s motion of no confidence against Muhyiddin on May 18. 

Following that, Putrajaya also replaced Dewan Rakyat secretary Riduan Rahmat, who had just taken over from former secretary Roosme Hamzah on February 22.

PH in a statement recently said Muhyiddin should not oust Dewan Rakyat Speaker Ariff.

“From the formation of select committees to creating an all-party parliamentary group, Ariff has a proven track record of reforming Parliament,” PH had said.

“As such, the Pakatan MPs are giving their full support for Ariff and Deputy Speaker Nga Kor Ming to remain and we protest against efforts to replace them.”

The statement was signed by PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, Amanah’s Dr Hatta Ramli and DAP’s Anthony Loke.

Ariff retired from party politics after the last elections in 2018 and was instrumental in restoring confidence towards parliamentary democracy, said the opposition.

Anwar also said that there was no issue with Dr Mahathir not being in PH as long as the 94-year-old leader can agree on the reform agenda brought by PH.

“I have no issue with Tun. I look at it (our differences) through policies and reform agenda. As long as the idea of reform can be accepted we can proceed,” Anwar said. 

Barisan Nasional leaders also met this morning to discuss tomorrow’s Dewan Rakyat session.

Umno supreme council member Tajuddin Abdul Rahman was reported by Malaysiakini as saying that BN MPs were advised to attend the session and to stand united to support the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government.

“We just (discussed) on Dewan Rakyat tomorrow, that we must unite, and all members of Parliament must attend to support the PN government,” he was reported as saying.

He said they also hoped the speaker and deputy will be changed tomorrow.

Former prime minister Najib Razak, Pengerang MP and presumptive speaker Azalina Othman Said, former Perlis menteri besar Shahidan Kassim and unity minister Halimah Sadique also attended the meeting at Umno headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.

Former Umno vice president Hishammuddin Hussein said BN leaders also discussed the registration of PN as a coalition. – July 12, 2020.