Assembly should choose Speaker, opines Juhar
Published on: Sunday, January 09, 2011
Kota Kinabalu: Newly sworn-in Sabah Governor Datuk Juhar Mahiruddin feels the position of State Assembly Speaker should be voted by the House rather than appointed by the Head of State.He said the situation in Sabah and Sarawak is unique because the Speakers are appointed by the TYT compared to the rest of the states where they (speakers) are nominated in the Dewan and voted on."Anybody can suggest any name in the Assembly or Parliament.
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Except in Sabah and Sarawak. That's why I suggested to Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman it may be about time we change this," he said, when asked for his opinion on how best the post should be filled.Currently, ex-Chief Minister Datuk Salleh Said Keruak and current Deputy CM Datuk Yahya Hussein have been mentioned as among the frontrunners for the post vacated by Juhar. One of the two Deputy Speakers, Datuk Johnny Mositun has also not been ruled out.Speaking in an exclusive interview with Daily Express days before he officially took his oath as Sabah's 10th TYT, Juhar said the change may be necessary since the Speaker's allegiance is to the Dewan and not the TYT."I don't know how this came about but the proper way is the Dewan should have the voice to choose who should be the Speaker because the Speaker's duty is to the Dewan, not to the TYT. Maybe, its something to with the tradition, I don't know," he said.
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At present, the situation in the Sabah State Legislative Assembly was a bit complicated because one of the two Deputy Speakers is in the opposition, he said."But that is politics and whether it is legal is different because he is appointed by the TYT and could only be removed by the TYT," he said.
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On the possibility that it may lead to intense lobbying and politicking among aspirants, Juhar said this happened in every post, even in choosing a village head.Juhar held the Speaker post for the past eight years prior to moving to the Istana Negeri effective Jan. 1. He said in other states, the Speaker is below the Deputy Chief Minister and in Parliament below the Deputy Prime Minister.He said there was no time limit for the post of Speaker in Sabah and actually hoped to break Datuk Alban Hassan Sandukong's record of 15 years.Juhar, who was also a former Deputy Speaker in the Parliament for nine years, said he enjoyed his tenure as Speaker in the State Assembly, especially under Musa.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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