Speaker, Deputy Speakers

Datuk Ronald Kiandee

The 222-members Parliament Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Haji Mulia took his oath of office and election was held for the two Deputy Speaker posts today.

Santubong Member of Parliament Datuk Haji Wan Junaidi and Beluran MP Datuk Ronald Kiandee won when they polled 157 and 140 votes, respectively. Dr Tan Seng Giaw of DAP obtained 81 votes.

It is obvious that one of the Opposition MP did not vote for Tan as there are 82 opposition MPs in the House.

And I have to say here again that Pandikar and Kiandee are from Sabah while Wan Junaidi is from Sarawak. This is the first time in histoy of Parliament where the three posts are all held by leaders from the two States in East Malaysia.

Speaker, Deputy Speaker

When the Sabah Legislative Assembly sit on Monday, the House will have two new Deputy Speakers - Datuk Frankie Chong Yu Chee and Johnny Mositun. This was announced by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Haji Aman today in Tenom.

Chong and Mositun replaced Datuk Michael Tan Kun Boo and Datuk James Andrew Vitales whose term were not extended.

Chong is Vice President of Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) while Mositun is Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) Information chief. SAPP and PBS are members of the national coalition Barisan Nasional.

The State Assembly Speaker is Datuk Juhar Mahiruddin, a former Deputy Speaker of Parliament.

Meanwhile, it is also now known that a Sabahan, for the first time, will be the Speaker of Parliament. He is Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia, a former Minister in the Prime Minister's Department. He had also served as Sabah Assembly Speaker, was an Assemblyman, ex-Senator and Sabah ex-Minister of Agriculture and Fishery.

Yet to be confirmed is Beluran's Member of Parliament Datuk Ronald Kiandee appointment as the Parliamnent's Deputy Speaker. The other Deputy Speaker post is being eyed by Sarawakian Datuk Wan Junaidi Tunku Jaafar, the MP for Santubung. Election for the posts will be held on Monday with Kiandee, Wan Junaidi and an Opposition nominee as candidates.

Should Kiandee and Wan Junaidi get the posts, Parliament this time aroud will be under the control (the sitting is) of leaders for Sabah and Sarawak (East Malaysia).


My Say:

A Bernama report last night says Datuk Ronald Kiandee and Datuk Wan Junaidi had been appointed Deputy Speakers. I congratulated Kiandee through SMS. He replied that Monday will be the day, there will be an election but he is optimistic that `it should not be a problem.' I will wait for the result.

Deputy Speaker Ronald Kiandee/Wan Junaidi?

Sabah's Beluran Member of Parliament, Datuk Ronald Kiandee, who won his third term in office in the March 8, general elections had confirmed that he had been told informally of his nomination as a candidate for one of Parliament's Deputy Speaker.

"I will wait for the official announcement," he said.

The other Deputy Speaker post is likely to go to five term MP of Santubung in Sarawak Datuk Wan Junaidi Tunku Jaafar. He said his name was proposed by Sarawak Barisan Nasional leaders to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi during his visit to Kuching last week.

Another Sabahan is said to have been nominated as a candidate for the Speaker post. He is former Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Haji Mulia.

My Say:

If Kiandee and Wan Junaidi are made Deputy Speaker and Pandikar given the Speaker post, Parliament for the first time will be controlled/headed by leaders from Sabah and Sarawak (East Malaysia).