PETALING JAYA: Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai (pic) says the appointment of the Dewan Rakyat Speaker contravenes Clause 4(1) of Parliament's Standing Orders and should be voided.

In a statement Tuesday (July 17) The MCA president said that the Standing Orders require the list of candidates for Speaker to be submitted at least 14 days before the House sits, and this therefore renders the selection process void and undermines the prestige of the Government and Parliament.

Liow said MCA placed great attention on this non-compliance, adding that it goes against the spirit of the law which Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad purports to uphold.

He said this was why MCA's sole MP Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong had to walk out from the Dewan Rakyat in protest.

"MCA's Political Development Committee had discussed this incident and again reaffirms MCA's stand that the government must strictly abide by the rule of law to set a good example," Liow stated.

He added that the protest shows that MCA was a responsible opposition party.

-The Star-