KUALA LUMPUR, July 13 — The new Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun has denied that he was directed to accept the post.

Describing it as an honour to him and his family, Azhar Azizan, affectionately known as Art Harun, said that he received the offer before the nomination day of the Chini state by-election and agreed to accept it.

"Why do I take this job? I think it is an honour for me, honour for my family, it is a challenge and a way for me to serve the nation,” he said when asked why he accepted the offer for the post during his first media conference after being elected as the 10th Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat today.

Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has tabled a motion to nominate Azhar Azizan as the new Speaker in accordance with the Rules of Meeting 4 (1) of the Standing Orders of the Dewan Rakyat.

The motion was tabled by the Prime Minister after his first motion for the Speaker Tan Sri Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof to vacate his post was approved following bloc voting which saw 111 MPs voting for and 109 against. 

Touching on his mission relating to the parliamentary reforms, Azhar Azizan said he would look into the matter and to implement as many reforms as he felt necessary while maintaining the existing good ones.

"I have yet to have the opportunity to discuss it (parliamentary reforms), but I am informed that Tan Sri Ariff has implemented several reform processes.

"Of course, we will see, if it is good, we will continue, if we can improve then we will improve it and to see if there are reforms that yet to be introduced, if any,” he said.

Commenting on the issue of him being elected as the Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat without going through voting process and the allegation that the opposition did not have the opportunity to submit their candidate, he said that the process was conducted according to the Standing Orders of the Dewan Rakyat and the opposition could submit the name of their candidate.

"Whoever proposes a candidate name should notify the Parliament, and there is no need to wait until there is a vacancy. But they (the opposition) did not do that,” he said.

On a question, whether, as the Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat, he has the power to move the motion of no confidence in the Prime Minister, higher up on the Order Paper listing, he said:

"I don’t have the power to move it up, it has been decided by previous sitting, at number 27 on the list. So, when it comes to that, we will do it,” he said. — Bernama pic