Azhar Azizan Harun

Azhar bin Azizan Harun (Jawi: أزهر بن عزيزان هارون; born 26 October 1962), also known as Art Harun, is a Malaysian politician and lawyer who served as the 10th Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat from July 2020 to December 2022 and the 9th Chairman of the Election Commission (EC) from September 2018 to his resignation in June 2020.[1][2][3]

In this Malay name, there is no family name. The name Azizan Harun is a patronymic, and the person should be referred to by the given name, Azhar.
Yang Berbahagia Tan Sri Datuk
Azhar Azizan Harun
PSM PJN
أزهر عزيزان هارون‎
Azhar in 2022
10th Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat
In office
13 July 2020 – 18 December 2022
MonarchAbdullah
Prime MinisterMuhyiddin Yassin
(2020–2021)
Ismail Sabri Yaakob
(2021–2022)
Anwar Ibrahim
(2022)
DeputyMohd Rashid Hasnon
(2020–2022)
Azalina Othman Said
(2020–2021)
Preceded byMohamad Ariff Md Yusof
Succeeded byJohari Abdul
ConstituencyNon-MP (Independent)
9th Chairman of the Election Commission of Malaysia
In office
21 September 2018 – 29 June 2020
Nominated byMahathir Mohamad
Appointed byMuhammad V
Preceded byMohd Hashim Abdullah
Succeeded byAbdul Ghani Salleh
Personal details
Born (1962-10-26) 26 October 1962
Kampung Sanglang, Ayer Hitam, Kedah, Federation of Malaya (now Malaysia)
CitizenshipMalaysian
Political partyIndependent
SpouseSimla Bibi Abdul Gani
RelativesIdrus Harun (elder brother)
Alma materUniversity of Malaya (LLB)
King's College London (LLM)
OccupationLawyer
Other namesArt Harun
Azhar Azizan Harun on Parliament of Malaysia

Early life and education

Azhar was born in Ayer Hitam, Kedah. He is the younger brother of Idrus Harun, who has been the Attorney-General of Malaysia since March 2020.[4]

Azhar read law at the University of Malaya and graduated with a degree of Bachelor of Laws in 1986.[5] He then furthered his studies at the King's College London and obtained his degree of Master of Laws (with merit) there.[1]

Career

Azhar started his career at a firm named Allen & Gledhill in 1987 and also used to work at Tetuan KH Koh, Azhar & Koh in 1992. Then, he continued his career at various law firms like Tetuan Khaw & Hussein, Tetuan TH Su & Partners, Tetuan Lamin & Co, Tetuan Hisham Sobri & Kadir, Tetuan Shafee & Co and Tetuan Cheang & Ariff (owned by Tan Sri Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof, who had become the Parliament Speaker whom Azhar has succeeded later). He was also a defendant lawyer, as well as a solicitor at Tetuan Azhar & Goh.[1][6]

Chairman of Election Commission (2018–2020)

Azhar was first appointed as the Chairman of EC on 21 September 2018,[7][8] not long after the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition under new Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad came into power succeeding their campaigns against previous Barisan Nasional (BN) government corruptions and abuses in the 2018 general election (GE14), as his past experience and known reputation suits the institutional reforms agenda of new ruling PH administration and the peoples' mandate as well as expectations had made himself a right choice.[9] Eight by-elections were held under his chairmanship and he had implemented a number of reforms in the country's electoral system including online voter registration, voter's card, providing facilities for disabled and elderly voters as well as live-streaming of the vote counting process on Facebook.[1] He served the office until his resignation on 29 June 2020.[3]

Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat (2020–2022)

After quitting EC position, as speculated Azhar was appointed as the Parliament Speaker on 13 July 2020,[3][10] in the time of a change government again in the 2020 Malaysian political crisis after being nominated by the Perikatan Nasional (PN) new Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin[11] His controversial appointment motion moved in advance by Muhyiddin following an impromptu motion to unseat incumbent Mohamad Ariff first leaving himself the single nomination and candidacy for the vacant position.[12] The motion seconded by Senior Minister Mohamed Azmin Ali, succeeded with a 111–109 vote.[13]

He had overseen the suspension of Parliament due to the proclamation of the 2021 Malaysian state of emergency from January to August which had also witnessed the flip-flop enactment and revocation of Emergency Ordinance (EO), to prevent or delay any election to keep power by hiding behind the motive to curb COVID-19 pandemic has led to his failures to protect the rights of parliamentarians of the house.[14][15]

The replacement of Ismail Sabri Yaakob of Barisan Nasional (BN) as the new Prime Minister of the PN government in August 2021 allowed controversial Azhar to remain as Parliament Speaker.[16][17]

Controversies and issues

Azhar has continued defending in favour of the PN - BN government on a number of occasions whenever the administration is in predicaments.[18][19] He has rejected a motion on 6 October 2021 proposed by Opposition Leader, Anwar Ibrahim to debate the Pandora Papers and dismissed the matter as "not urgent" despite it being widely and internationally considered a big amount of money being illegally siphoned and held offshore (outside the country) that must be investigated immediately.[20][21][22]

On 20 July 2020, Azhar claimed that he did not order a judge to adjourn the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) trial against former prime minister Najib Razak so that the latter can deliver a speech in parliament.[23]

On 20 December 2021, Azhar was criticised in dismissing the demands and calls from MPs to debate the worsening December 2021 Malaysian floods crisis during the parliamentary sitting.[24][25]

On 20 January 2022, Azhar was slammed again for preventing Parliament from debating the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief Azam Baki shareholding controversy.[26][27][28]

Honours

Honours of Malaysia

References
  1. "Art Harun, from court, EC and now Parliament". Bernama. 15 May 2020. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
  2. "Art Harun, dari mahkamah dan SPR ke Parlimen" [Art Harun, from court and EC to Parliament]. Berita Harian (in Malay). 13 July 2020. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
  3. Yunus, Arfa (13 July 2020). "No regrets, says Art Harun on accepting Speaker's role | New Straits Times". NST Online. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
  4. "Parlimen: Art Harun Speaker baharu" (in Malay). Harian Metro. 13 July 2020. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  5. "Art Harun dengan dua idolanya..." Malaysia Today (in Malay). 6 March 2019. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  6. "Kenyataan Media: Pelantikan Pengerusi Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya". Ketua Setiausaha Negara (in Malay). Dr. Ismail Hj Bakar. 21 September 2018. Retrieved 13 July 2020 – via Twitter.
  7. Siti A'isyah Sukaimi (21 September 2018). "Lawyer Art Harun is new EC chairman". New Straits Times. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  8. Ida Lim (21 September 2018). "EC gets new chairman, lawyer Art Harun". Malay Mail. Retrieved 22 September 2018.
  9. Ida Lim (22 September 2018). "Who is Art Harun, the new EC chairman?" (in Malay). Malay Mail. Retrieved 22 September 2018.
  10. "Azhar Harun candidate for Dewan Rakyat speaker, Azalina deputy". Astro Awani. 12 July 2020. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  11. "Why did Perikatan pick Art Harun as new Speaker? Pundits suggest part of bid to woo urbanites". Malay Mail. 29 July 2020. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  12. Hasnan, Harits Asyraf (13 July 2020). "Azhar Azizan Harun YDP Dewan Rakyat baharu, angkat sumpah dalam suasana gempita". Astro Awani (in Malay). Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  13. Palansamy, Yiswaree. "Malaysia likely set precedent as first country to remove a sitting parliamentary Speaker, says Mohamad Ariff". Malay Mail. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  14. "Malaysia invokes emergency to stop by-elections as COVID-19 cases rise". Channel News Asia. 16 December 2020. Archived from the original on 18 December 2020. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  15. "Quit if your loyalty is to govt instead of king, Azhar told ahead of special Dewan meet". The Vibes. 21 July 2021. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  16. "Ismail Sabri appointed 9th prime minister". Malaysiakini. 20 August 2021. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  17. "Up to PM if he wants to keep me on as speaker: Art Harun". The Vibes. 21 July 2021. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  18. Nicholas Chung (13 May 2021). "Azhar clarifies remarks on parliamentary panels meeting during emergency". Free Malaysia Today. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
  19. Tarrence Tan (24 July 2021). "Anwar's motion rejected because it was submitted too early, says Speaker". The Star. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  20. Rahimy Rahim (6 October 2021). "Speaker dismisses Anwar's motion to debate Pandora Papers". The Star. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  21. Yiswaree Palansamy (6 October 2021). "Opposition MPs, Speaker in heated exchange after emergency motion to debate Pandora Papers rejected". Malay Mail. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  22. Geraldine Tong (11 October 2021). "Pandora Papers: Anwar says speaker is behaving like a defence counsel". Malaysiakini. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  23. "Malaysia's speaker denies ordering judge to adjourn 1MDB trial so that Najib can address parliament". CNA. 20 July 2020.
  24. "There was no motion to debate flood crisis, says Speaker". Free Malaysia Today. 22 December 2021. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  25. "'Speaker erred in dismissing demands to debate flood issue'". Malaysiakini. 23 December 2021. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  26. Geraldine Tong (20 January 2022). "Speaker rejects motion on Azam, PM mum despite nudging from MPs". Malaysiakini. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  27. Martin Carvalho, Rahimy Rahim (20 January 2022). "Art Harun turns down Opposition MPs' attempts to debate Azam Baki shares issue in Parliament". The Star. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  28. "Parliament will not debate Azam Baki controversy, says speaker". The Sun Daily. 20 January 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  29. "795 terima darjah kebesaran, pingat sempena Hari Keputeraan Agong". Sinar Harian (in Malay). 9 September 2019. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
  30. "Former Chief Justice and ex-FELDA chairman head King's birthday honours list". The Edge Markets. 13 November 2021. Archived from the original on 13 November 2021. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
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