FORMER Sungai Petani lawmaker Johari Abdul is Pakatan Harapan’s choice for parliament speaker while Perikatan Nasional (PN) has nominated Mohd Radzi Sheikh Ahmad for the position according to sources.

The Kedah PH deputy chairman served as Sungai Petani lawmaker for three terms but sat out the recent general election.

The 66-year-old is also the incumbent Gurun assemblyman in the Kedah state legislature which he won in 2018.

“So far I have not heard anything about this,” said Johari coyly when contacted today.

He did not want to comment further on the matter.

Lawmakers will vote to choose a speaker on December 19 when parliament meets.

This is the second time his name has been suggested for the position.

He was the favourite for the speaker position when PH came to power in 2018 but had to make way as he would have had to resign as Gurun assemblyman, which PKR did not want him to do owing to the delicate balance of power in the Kedah state assembly then.

Johari, a staunch advocate of parliamentary reform was the parliamentary defence select committee chairman. Johari also championed the youth parliament and advocated more programmes for youth to be exposed to the ways of the Malaysian legislature.

Former home minister Radzi, a lawyer, is a member of Bersatu, which he joined after the Sheraton Move in 2018, having been with Umno previously.

He is currently a senator in the Dewan Negara and was sworn in to office on 17 June 2020.

Radzi oversaw several reforms including the extensive review of the country’s penal code during his time in office back in 2008.

He could not be contacted for comment. –  December 6, 2022.