Many firsts for Parliament
> Dr M returns as oldest MP; Najib first ex-premier to sit on opposition bench
KUALA LUMPUR: It was a historic day at the Dewan Rakyat yesterday as politicians from both sides of the divide swapped sides for the first time and Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad made a return to the lower house after 15 years, as the oldest parliamentarian.
The first session of the 14th parliament began with the swearing-in ceremony, following Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) surprise victory in the general election on May 9.
Mahathir, 93, has since been appointed as the prime minister and Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak became the first former premier to sit on the opposition bench.
Following Barisan Nasional’s (BN) defeat in the election, Najib, who is Pekan MP, stepped down as the prime minister and relinquished all his positions in Umno.
Mahathir, who is Langkawi MP, set foot in the Dewan Rakyat for the first time since he stepped down from politics in November 2003.
He was among the MPs sworn in before the newly-appointed Dewan Rakyat speaker, former Court of Appeal judge Datuk Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof.
This came right after Mohamad Arif himself was sworn in as the speaker, amid protest by opposition lawmakers over his appointment.
Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V will officiate the first meeting of the first session of the 14th parliament today.
Meanwhile, Umno secretarygeneral Tan Sri Annuar Musa confirmed that party president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi will be playing the role of the federal opposition leader in Parliament.
He said the decision was made following a consensus with other opposition parties and consultation with the PAS-led Gagasan Sejahtera (GS), on Sunday.
He said PAS secretary-general Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan has agreed that the leader of the party with the highest number of MPs should be the opposition leader.
“Yes, he (Ahmad Zahid) will be the opposition leader,” he said.
In the 14th general election, BN won 79 seats and PAS took 18. However, while BN’s number dwindled following the pulling out of its Sarawak parties from the coalition and a number of Umno members leaving the party, Umno remains the opposition party with the highest number of MPs, with over 50.
MIC has two representatives, and MCA has one.