Candidate for Parliament Speaker identified

KUALA LUMPUR: The candidate to be appointed as the new Dewan Rakyat Speaker has been identified, says Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) parliamentary chief whip Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.

Without giving a name, Fadillah said the candidate was not a Member of Parliament.

Asked whether the candidate is a Sarawakian, he just smiled.

“I’m not naming anyone but what’s for sure is that the candidate is well qualified and a Malaysian,” he told reporters after presenting Completion Contractor Certificates to 39 recipients here yesterday.

Last Sunday, Tan Sri Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof confirmed that he had received a termination motion as Dewan Rakyat Speaker. He said there was also a motion to terminate his deputy Nga Kor Ming.

Fadillah, who is Senior Minister (Infrastructure) as well as the Works Minister, said GPS would support whatever decision made by the Perikatan Nasional Federal Government.

On the Sarawak state election to be expected soon, Fadillah said GPS was ready to face this anytime but that it was up to Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg to decide on the date.

“For us in Sarawak, we don’t work for elections. We work for the people and we are ready to face the state elections anytime,” he added.