The New Dewan Rakyat Speaker

The former Speaker of Parliament, the late Tun Dr Mohamed Zahir Ismail had served in the post for 22 years, the longest-serving speaker in the country's history. He passed on recently and today an election was held to choose a new Speaker. For the first time in Malaysian parliamentary history there was a contest for the post. The BN with 199 members proposed former Perak Menteri Besar Tan Sri Ramli Ngah Talib, while the DAP with 12 members proposed DAP Deputy Chairman and Kepong MP Dr Tan Seng Giaw. As expected the BN candidate won hands down garnering 185 votes while the DAP candidate had 10 votes. Another big majority for the BN. Can't help wondering where the other opposition MPs, 6 from PAS, 1 from PKR and 1 independent were when the ballot was held. DAP's Karpal is presently suspended.
Among other things, the new Dewan Rakyat Speaker had the following to say after being elected ::

• "This is a big honour to me."
  
• "My election to the post is historic."
  
• "I will be the Speaker to all Members of Parliament despite of the contest for the post today. I will deliver my task justly and fairly to uphold the image of this august House."
  
• "I feel fortunate indeed to be given the opportunity to be with fellow parliamentarians to realise our country's parliamentary democracy instituted way back in 1955."
  
• "I hope to receive good cooperation from Members of Parliament as was given to my predecessor 'to perform our duties as parliamentarians in a fair and just manner'."

Do take note of his words. As for Dr Tan, what did he have to say regarding his loss, we wonder. Maybe, probably, likely, "I fought the good fight but he won. In any fight/contest there will be a loser." But if the performance of the previous Dewan Rakyat Speaker is emulated by the new one, the ultimate loser will be joe-public once again.

Latest :: A Malaysiakini report states that the new Dewan Rakyat Speaker received votes from PAS and PKR MPs! What does this augur for the opposition in Parliament?