DEWAN Rakyat speaker Azhar Azizan Harun and his deputy, Azalina Othman Said, today were served with summons filed by Dr Mahathir Mohamad and four other MPs, challenging their recent appointments to the lower house.

Deputy speaker Mohd Rashid Hasnon and Dewan Rakyat secretary Nizam Mydin Bacha Mydin were also served today, said Dr Mahathir’s lawyer Muhammad Rafique Rashid Ali.

Apart from Dr Mahathir, who is Langkawi MP, the other four plaintiffs are Mukhriz Mahathir (Jerlun), Maszlee Malik (Simpang Renggam), Amiruddin Hamzah (Kubang Pasu) and Shahruddin Md Salleh (Sri Gading).

Online case management has been set before Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Ahmad Kamal Md Shahid on August 11, Rafique said.

In their originating summons, the plaintiffs said the appointments made on July 13 were invalid as they were unconstitutional and breached the Dewan Rakyat Standing Orders.

A statement issued by the legal firm representing the five, Law Practice of Rafique, said the appointments did not follow procedures.

The five in their legal challenge said MPs must get 14 days’ notice to propose names once the positions of speaker and deputy speaker are vacant.

They also said the appointments must go through a process of nomination and debate, and be put to vote in order to be complete and legal.

On July 13, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s motion to remove the Pakatan Harapan-appointed speaker, Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof passed with a 2-vote majority – 111 MPs for and 109 against. The vote was seen as an indirect test of the level of support Muhyiddin has in Parliament.

Azhar was then appointed as speaker without a vote, sparking a furore in the opposition benches.

At the same time, Azalina was voted in to replace Nga Kor Ming, who resigned earlier in the day in solidarity with Ariff. – July 24, 2020.