KUALA LUMPUR: The country's first MP from the Orang Asli community, Datuk Ramli Mohd Noor, made history as he sat in as temporary Dewan Rakyat Speaker to fill in for Tan Sri Azhar Azizan Harun who was away chairing a 2.30pm Special Chamber meeting on Tuesday (March 1).

       Such a move is allowed under Standing Order 7(3), which states that the speaker may, at any time during a sitting, ask a member to take the chair temporarily without formal communication to the house.

       “Such members shall be invested with all the powers of Tuan Yang di-Pertua, until Tuan Yang di-Pertua returns,” it reads.

       Ramli, who is Umno's Cameron Highlands MP, was nominated for the post of deputy Dewan Rakyat speaker in October last year.

       He is also the first Orang Asli to be nominated for the post.

       The seat fell vacant in August following the resignation of Pengerang MP Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.

       At present, only two names have been submitted for the vacant post, namely former deputy speaker Nga Kor Ming (PH-Teluk Intan) and Ramli.

       Nga previously held the post under the Pakatan Harapan administration, while Ramli was nominated by Umno.

       A heated contest was expected to take place to fill the post by way of voting in the House.

       However, Parliament has once again deferred the appointment of a second Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker.

       Although listed as the first item on Parliament's Order Paper, the appointment to fill the vacancy was postponed to the next meeting, which is usually held in July.