Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat

The Speaker of the "Dewan Rakyat" (Malay: "Yang di-Pertua Dewan Rakyat") is the presiding officer of the "Dewan Rakyat", the lower house of the Parliament of Malaysia. He is responsible for convening sessions of the "Dewan Rakyat", organising debates, and examining the admissibility of petitions, bills and amendments. He determines when a sitting of the House should open and close, and may suspend the sitting for a brief period of time if necessary. He is also in charge of ensuring the Constitution and Standing Orders of the House are given due respect, disciplining members of the House, determining who shall have the floor during a sitting, calling a vote, and checking for a quorum when the House meets. He only participates in a vote when there is a tie. [http://www.ipu.org/parline-e/reports/2197.htm "Malaysia"] . Retrieved Dec. 10, 2005.] The Speaker also has powers some allege to be excessive, such as imposing limits on the posing of supplementary questions during Question Time — an important procedure for the legislature to examine the government's actions, the power to restrict the tabling of questions for Question Time, and the power to amend written copies of speeches made by members of the House before they are given verbally. [ [http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/41649.htm "Malaysia"] . Retrieved Feb. 12, 2006.]

The Speaker is elected to a term that lasts for the length of the term of the "Dewan Rakyat" that elected him. His term ends when the House is dissolved and a general election is called. He is elected when the House meets for the first time after a general election by the members of the House, who are called MPs. Any MP is qualified to be the Speaker of the House, but non-MPs who meet the same qualifications required to be an MP are also eligible for election as Speaker. A candidate for Speaker must be nominated and seconded by at least two MPs other than himself. This nomination process must be conducted at least 14 days before the election of the Speaker. If only one candidate meets these conditions, he is automatically elected Speaker; otherwise, voting by secret ballot is conducted, with the winner decided by a simple majority. The Clerk ("Setiausaha") of the House presides over the voting.

In the absence of the Speaker, one of his deputies, who are also elected in a similar manner, will take his place. As of 2008, the Speaker of the "Dewan Rakyat" is Pandikar Amin Mulia, and his deputies are Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar and Ronald Kiandee. All of them are from the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition.

List of Speakers of the "Dewan Rakyat"

#Haji Mohamad Noah bin Omar (September 1 1959 – February 29 1964)
#Syed Esa bin Alwee (May 18 1964 – November 24 1964)
#Chok Mohamad Yusuf bin Sheikh Abdul Rahman (November 25 1964 – March 1 1974)
#Haji Nik Ahmad Kamil Haji Nik Mahmood (November 11 1974 – December 20 1977)
#Syed Nasir bin Ismail (January 9 1978 – March 16 1982)
#Mohamed Zahir bin Haji Ismail (June 14 1982 – October 14 2004)
#Ramli Ngah Talib (November 22 2004 – February 13 2008) [ [http://www.parlimen.gov.my/eng-dR-diPertua.htm "Speaker of The House of Representatives"] . Retrieved Feb. 12, 2006.]
#Pandikar Amin Mulia (April 28 2008 – present)

List of Deputy Speakers of the "Dewan Rakyat"

#Syed Esa bin Alwee (November 25 1964 – March 19 1969)
#Haji Nik Ahmad Kamil bin Hj Nik Mahmood (March 9 1971 – July 13 1974)
#Syed Nasir bin Ismail (November 6 1974 – January 8 1978)
#Azahari bin Md Taib (March 21 1978 – June 11 1978)
#Mansor bin Othman (October 23 1978 – March 28 1982)
#Hee Tien Lai (June 14 1982 – July 26 1983)
#Abdul Hamid bin Pawanteh (July 27 1983 – July 18 1986)
#D.P. Vijandran (October 8 1986 – February 23 1990)
#Mohamed Amin bin Haji Daud (October 8 1986 – June 11 1990)
#Ong Tee Keat (June 11 1990 – November 10 1999)
#Haji Juhar bin Haji Mahiruddin (December 5 1990 – November 10 1999)
#Muhammad bin Abdullah (December 20 1999 – March 4 2004)
#Lim Si Cheng (December 20 1999 – February 13 2008)
#Haji Yusof bin Yacob (May 17 2004 – February 13 2008) [ [http://www.parlimen.gov.my/eng-dR-Timb.htm "Deputy Speakers of the House of Representatives"] . Retrieved Feb. 12, 2006.]
#Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar (April 28 2008 – present)
#Datuk Ronald Kiandee (April 28 2008 – present)

Notes and references