Azhar Azizan Harun | |
|---|---|
أزهر عزيزان هارون | |
 Azhar in 2022 | |
| 10th Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat | |
| In office 13 July 2020 – 18 December 2022 | |
| Monarch | Abdullah |
| Prime Minister | Muhyiddin Yassin (2020–2021) Ismail Sabri Yaakob (2021–2022) Anwar Ibrahim (2022) |
| Deputy | Mohd Rashid Hasnon (2020–2022) Azalina Othman Said (2020–2021) |
| Preceded by | Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof |
| Succeeded by | Johari Abdul |
| Constituency | Non-MP (Independent) |
| 9thChairman of the Election Commission of Malaysia | |
| In office 21 September 2018 – 29 June 2020 | |
| Nominated by | Mahathir Mohamad |
| Appointed by | Muhammad V |
| Preceded by | Mohd Hashim Abdullah |
| Succeeded by | Abdul Ghani Salleh |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1962-10-26)26 October 1962 (age 63) |
| Citizenship | Malaysian |
| Party | Independent (until 2025) Malaysian United Indigenous Party (BERSATU) (2025–present) |
| Spouse(s) | Simla Bibi Abdul Gani |
| Relatives | Idrus Harun (elder brother) |
| Alma mater | University of Malaya (LLB) King's College London (LLM) |
| Occupation | Lawyer |
| Other names | Art Harun |
| Azhar Azizan Harun onParliament of Malaysia | |
Azhar bin Azizan Harun (Jawi:أزهر بن عزيزان هارون; born 26 October 1962), also known asArt Harun, is aMalaysianpolitician andlawyer who served as the 10thSpeaker of the Dewan Rakyat from July 2020 to December 2022 and the 9th Chairman of theElection Commission (EC) from September 2018 to his resignation in June 2020.[1][2][3]
Azhar was born inAyer Hitam,Kedah. He is the younger brother ofIdrus Harun, who was theAttorney-General of Malaysia from March 2020 until September 2023.[4]
Azhar read law at theUniversity of Malaya and graduated with a degree ofBachelor of Laws in 1986.[5] He then furthered his studies at theKing's College London and obtained his degree ofMaster of Laws (with merit) there.[1]
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 SriMohamad Ariff Md Yusof, who had become theParliament Speaker whom Azhar has succeeded later). He was also a defendant lawyer, as well as a solicitor at Tetuan Azhar & Goh.[1][6]
Azhar was first appointed as the Chairman of EC on 21 September 2018,[7][8] not long after thePakatan Harapan (PH) coalition under newPrime MinisterMahathir Mohamad came into power succeeding their campaigns against previousBarisan Nasional (BN) government corruptions and abuses in the2018 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 onFacebook.[1] He served the office until his resignation on 29 June 2020.[3]
After quitting his EC position, Azhar was appointed as the Parliament Speaker on 13 July 2020,[3][10] in the aftermath of the2020 Malaysian political crisis. He was nominated by the new Prime MinisterMuhyiddin Yassin of thePerikatan Nasional (PN) coalition.[11] His controversial appointment motion was moved by Muhyiddin following an impromptu motion to unseat incumbent Mohamad Ariff.[12] The motion was seconded by Senior MinisterMohamed Azmin Ali and narrowly succeeded through a 111–109 vote.[13]
He had overseen the suspension of Parliament due to the proclamation of the2021 Malaysian state of emergency from January to August which had also witnessed the 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 ofIsmail Sabri Yaakob ofBarisan Nasional (BN) as the new Prime Minister of the PN government in August 2021 allowed Azhar to remain as Parliament Speaker.[16][17]
Azhar was accused of bias and favouring the PN - BN government on a number of occasions when the administration was facing a challenge.[18][19] He has rejected a motion on 6 October 2021 proposed by Opposition Leader,Anwar Ibrahim to debate thePandora 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 the1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) trial against former prime ministerNajib 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 worseningDecember 2021 Malaysian floods crisis during the parliamentary sitting.[24][25]
On 20 January 2022, Azhar was slammed again for preventing Parliament from debating theMalaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chiefAzam Baki shareholding controversy.[26][27][28]
Malaysia
Commander of theOrder of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia (PSM) –Tan Sri (2021)[29]
Commander of theOrder of Meritorious Service (PJN) –Datuk (2019)[30]
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat 2020 - 2022 | Succeeded by |
