IT is understandable that the curious suggestion made by Umno secretary-general Ahmad Maslan about creating additional posts of deputy Dewan Rakyat speaker drew hilarious as well as angry responses from concerned Malaysians recently.

The Pontian MP, who is vying for a deputy speaker’s post himself, reportedly proposed that two additional positions be created to accommodate the opposition from the peninsula (namely, DAP) and a representative of Sabah or Sarawak. This is part of his so-called 20-point manifesto for parliamentary reforms. 

Ahmad was nominated for the deputy speaker’s post by the current government while Nga Kor Ming of DAP was Pakatan Harapan’s choice. 

In other words, there will be three deputy speakers – as opposed to the current practice of two – which is reminiscent of the previous and present governments’ creation of a bloated cabinet in the effort to appease the component parties in the Perikatan Nasional government.

The net result is that taxpayers would have to foot the bill for three deputy speakers without them really knowing how effective this proposed arrangement is in the interest of parliamentary democracy.

People are already troubled by the expected swollen salaries, allowances and other benefits of these parliamentary officials that would dig deeper into the nation’s coffers.

As it is, they have grumbled enough about the financial wastage caused by the Ismail Sabri Yaakob government, like the previous administration, in maintaining a bloated cabinet, some members of whom are largely seen as ineffective if not deadwood.

Drenched in sarcasm, a concerned Malaysian, for instance, proposed that Ahmad go the whole hog: four speakers and four deputies of the Dewan Rakyat be appointed so as to please the major parties in the country. They then can take turns to function in their respective capacities during the five days of the week.

The appointments of Dewan Rakyat speaker and his/her deputies have often given rise to controversy over the issue of their independence in their ability to provide fair treatment to parties on both sides of the divide during parliamentary sessions.

That is why the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections, or Bersih 2.0, has called on the contenders for the deputy speaker’s posts to resign or take leave from their political party posts. This is to ensure that they are truly independent, free of party influence and carry out their duties without fear or favour of their respective parties.

Bersih also rightly pointed out that the position of Dewan Rakyat speaker and his/her deputies should not function as mere “gatekeepers” for the executive on motions and bills or to restrict the opposition.

The British Parliament, for instance, had witnessed former speaker John Simon Bercow leave his Conservative Party and remain as an independent for the duration of his tenure (2009-2019) in the interest of independence and fairness that should come with the position. Indeed, a speaker worth his or her salt should not be a rubber stamp. 

Such is the importance given to the speaker’s independence so as to ensure robust debates in the august chamber as well as the separation of powers between the executive and the legislature. 

Equally important, the prominent officials of the Parliament should not be tainted with any financial scandal or such court cases that would, in turn, smear the image of the august chamber.

The present government, which has offered institutional reforms to the opposition, should also address the issues surrounding the positions of the speaker and his/her deputies. – September 12, 2021