Rais is new Senate leader
Former minister elected 18th president of Dewan Negara
Former Information, Communications and Culture Minister Tan Sri Dr Rais Yatim has been elected the new Dewan Negara president.
He replaces Tan Sri S. A. Vigneswaran whose term of office ended on June 22.
Rais, 78, was elected the 18th Dewan Negara president through a secret ballot.
He was among the three candidates proposed for the post, namely Senator Mohd Yusmadi Mohd Yusoff and Senator Theodore Douglas Lind. However, Theodore withdrew at the last minute.
Rais obtained 45 votes while Mohd Yusmadi secured 19 votes.
The result was announced by Dewan Negara deputy president Senator Datuk Seri Abdul Halim Abd Samad.
Earlier, the motion to elect Rais was tabled by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan, representing Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, in accordance with Rule of Meeting 4(1), the Standing Order of the Dewan Rakyat.
The motion was seconded by Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Datuk Shabudin Yahya, while Yusmadi was proposed for the post by Senator Dr Ahmad Azam Hamzah.
Abdul Halim then ruled that a vote by secret ballot be held as more than one candidate was submitted, in accordance with Rule of Meeting 2 (3).
Meanwhile, four members of the Senate took their oath of office before Rais. They are Datuk Seri S. Vell Paari (appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong), Mohamad Apandi Mohamad (appointed by Kelantan state assembly) as well as Ahmad Yahaya and Datuk Othman Aziz (appointed by Kedah state assembly).
Rais welcomed the appointment of the four new members of the Senate, and said they should focus on issues of interest to the people and avoid making the Dewan Negara a political arena.
“We shall put aside party-based political ideology as much as possible and generate quality debates which can contribute to the process of nation-building.
“When the Honourable Members reduce political attachment, then we can carry out the responsibilities entrusted upon us.
“However, our loyalty to the party still exists, while loyalty to the country must be reflected through our respective actions,” he said. — Bernama
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