No motion of no-confidence against Anwar so far, says Dewan Rakyat Speaker

PETALING JAYA: Dewan Rakyat speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul says that he has not received any no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim so far.

He said even though the first meeting of the third term will start next month, the Opposition could submit a motion to be included in the list.

“We have yet to receive any related motion and any member of Parliament can submit any motion now even if the meeting has not started.

“(However) It is up to the Speaker to reject or accept it, and this decision will be announced during the Dewan Rakyat meeting later,” Sinar Harian reported.

Commenting further, Johari said that the Speaker would decide whether the motion was accepted or not based on the procedures and rules set by the Dewan Rakyat.

“Study and read the rules of the meeting, understand them first” he explained.

He said, there was no restriction for any member of the Dewan Rakyat to submit a motion even if a similar motion has been submitted before.
The process of submitting a motion, he also said, was very easy but it must follow the rules of the meeting which has already been set.

“Meeting Rule 18 (2) stipulates that a member must issue a written notification of no more than 300 words to the President about the matter to be discussed within a period of at least 24 hours – not including the day off before the start of the meeting.

“The rule also states that a Member of Parliament must present together with the informant the motion he proposed together with a written explanation to the President of Dewan Negara why the matter is a specific matter, requires urgency and is in the interest of the public,” he said adding that the President can reject a motion if he finds the matter is not a specific matter, does not want to be rushed and does not concern the interests of the public.

Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Thursday (Jan 11) said, the opposition does not seem to have the strength to bring a motion of no confidence against him in Parliament.