Malaysia’s political turmoil rumbles on as new parliamentary speaker Azhar Harun installed without a vote

The appointment of former election commission chief Azhar Harun without a vote prompted a shouting match to break out in parliament

A constitutional expert said the move ‘reeked of procedural irregularity’, amid claims Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s grip on power is slipping

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Malaysia’s Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin pictured at Monday’s parliament session in Kuala Lumpur. Photo: AP

Published: 9:36pm, 13 Jul 2020Updated: 10:49pm, 13 Jul 2020

Malaysia’s parliament descended into chaos on Monday in its first full sitting in months amid the coronavirus pandemic, as heated arguments broke out after a new house speaker was appointed without a vote.

A motion to remove former speaker Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof was passed by the thinnest of margins, which analysts said showed the “razor-thin” majority of Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s Perikatan Nasional government that came to power in March .

The new speaker, former election commission head Azhar Harun, was appointed without a vote – raising the ire of the opposition and causing a shouting match break out in the nation’s 222-person lower house.

Representatives from Pakatan Harapan – the coalition that ran the country from 2018 until March this year – accused the executive of meddling with the legislative branch of government amid rumours of a looming snap election and against the backdrop of a stumbling economy.

Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof, Malaysia’s former parliament lower house speaker, speaks to the media after Monday’s vote to remove him. Photo: AP

The motion to remove the former speaker passed with 111 votes for and 109 against, even after months of furious negotiating and party-hopping following a political coup in late February that saw the Pakatan Harapan coalition break down and Muhyiddin’s party team up with its former rivals, the United Malays National Organisation (Umno) and conservative Islamic party PAS.