# Secretary of the House of Representatives of Malaysia

The secretary of the House of Representatives of Malaysia (Malay: Setiausaha Dewan Rakyat; Chinese: 馬來西亞國會下議院秘書; Tamil: மலேசிய நாடாளுமன்றத்தின் பொது மன்றத்தின் செயலாளர்) SUDR is the chief clerk of the House of Representatives of Malaysia.

## Constitutional basis

The office of Secretary of the House of Representatives of Malaysia is established under Article 65 of the Constitution of Malaysia, which establishes the SUDR together with that of Secretary of the Senate of Malaysia (SUDN) as may be appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King of Malaysia).
Clause (5) of Article 65 provides that the SUDR cannot be an individual elected as either a Member of Parliament (MP) or a Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA). Clause (2) of Article 65 sets out for the office-bearer to hold office only until the age of 60. Article 125 stipulated that any removal of the SUDR outside of the incumbent's voluntary resignation can only be executed following the decision made by a tribunal appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong having received the advice to do so from the Prime Minister of Malaysia.

## Roles

The secretary of the House of Representatives is responsible for the proceedings of the House and assists the Speaker on matters regarding the House during these proceedings.
The duties also include sending out notices for commencement of meetings, collecting proposals, articles, Order Paper, votes and written enquiries from Members of the House and producing verbatim reports of proceedings.

## List of secretaries of the House of Representatives (1959–present)

| Parliament | No. | Office bearer | Term of office | Term of office | Duration | Speaker |
| 1st 1959–1964 | 1 | C. A. Fredericks AMN | 1959 | 1964 | 4–5 years | Mohamed Noah Omar |
| 2nd 1964–1969 | 2 | Tan Sri Sheikh Abdullah Sheikh Abu Bakar PSM JMN PPM | 1964 | 1965 | 0–1 year | Syed Esa Alwee |
| 2nd 1964–1969 | 2 | Tan Sri Sheikh Abdullah Sheikh Abu Bakar PSM JMN PPM | 1964 | 1965 | 0–1 year | Chik Mohamed Yusuf Sheikh Abdul Rahman |
| 2nd 1964–1969 | 3 | Haji Shamsuddin Mohamed Sidin AMN | 1965 | 1967 | 1–2 years | Chik Mohamed Yusuf Sheikh Abdul Rahman |
| 2nd 1964–1969 | 4 | Jaafar Mohd. Taha | 1967 | 1969 | 1–2 years | Chik Mohamed Yusuf Sheikh Abdul Rahman |
| 3rd 1971–1974 | 5 | Dato' Ahmad Abdullah DPMJ | 1969 | 1972 | 2–3 years | Chik Mohamed Yusuf Sheikh Abdul Rahman |
| 3rd 1971–1974 | 6 | Dato' Azizul Rahman Abdul Aziz DPMP JMN SMP | 1972 | 1988 | 15–16 years | Chik Mohamed Yusuf Sheikh Abdul Rahman |
| 4th 1974–1978 | 6 | Dato' Azizul Rahman Abdul Aziz DPMP JMN SMP | 1972 | 1988 | 15–16 years | Nik Ahmad Kamil Nik Mahmood |
| 5th 1978–1982 | 6 | Dato' Azizul Rahman Abdul Aziz DPMP JMN SMP | 1972 | 1988 | 15–16 years | Syed Nasir Ismail |
| 6th 1982–1986 | 6 | Dato' Azizul Rahman Abdul Aziz DPMP JMN SMP | 1972 | 1988 | 15–16 years | Mohamed Zahir Ismail |
| 7th 1986–1990 | 6 | Dato' Azizul Rahman Abdul Aziz DPMP JMN SMP | 1972 | 1988 | 15–16 years | Mohamed Zahir Ismail |
| 7th 1986–1990 | 7 | Dato' Wan Zahir Sheikh Abdul Rahman DPMP JSM | 1988 | 1993 | 4–5 years | Mohamed Zahir Ismail |
| 8th 1990–1995 | 7 | Dato' Wan Zahir Sheikh Abdul Rahman DPMP JSM | 1988 | 1993 | 4–5 years | Mohamed Zahir Ismail |
| 8th 1990–1995 | 8 | Datuk Haji Abdul Rahman Ali PSD DPMT | 1993 | 1998 | 4–5 years | Mohamed Zahir Ismail |
| 9th 1995–1999 | 8 | Datuk Haji Abdul Rahman Ali PSD DPMT | 1993 | 1998 | 4–5 years | Mohamed Zahir Ismail |
| 9th 1995–1999 | 9 | Datuk Mohd. Salleh Hassan JSD AMN | 1998 | 6 January 2004 | 5–6 years | Mohamed Zahir Ismail |
| 10th 1999–2004 | 9 | Datuk Mohd. Salleh Hassan JSD AMN | 1998 | 6 January 2004 | 5–6 years | Mohamed Zahir Ismail |
| 11th 2004–2008 | 10 | Datuk Abdullah Abdul Wahab PJN DPSJ KMN AMN PPN | 7 January 2004 | 15 August 2006 | 2 years, 7 months | Mohamed Zahir Ismail |
| 11th 2004–2008 | 10 | Datuk Abdullah Abdul Wahab PJN DPSJ KMN AMN PPN | 7 January 2004 | 15 August 2006 | 2 years, 7 months | Ramli Ngah Talib |
| 11th 2004–2008 | 11 | Tan Sri Dato' Sri Mahmood Adam PSM PNBS SSAP DMSM JSM KMN AMN | 11 September 2006 | 20 December 2007 | 1 year, 3 months | Ramli Ngah Talib |
| 11th 2004–2008 | 12 | Datuk Roosme Hamzah PMW KMN AMN | 26 December 2007 | 22 February 2020 | 12 years, 1 month | Ramli Ngah Talib |
| 12th 2008–2013 | 12 | Datuk Roosme Hamzah PMW KMN AMN | 26 December 2007 | 22 February 2020 | 12 years, 1 month | Pandikar Amin Mulia |
| 13th 2013–2018 | 12 | Datuk Roosme Hamzah PMW KMN AMN | 26 December 2007 | 22 February 2020 | 12 years, 1 month | Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof |
| 14th 2018–2022 | 12 | Datuk Roosme Hamzah PMW KMN AMN | 26 December 2007 | 22 February 2020 | 12 years, 1 month | Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof |
| 14th 2018–2022 | 13 | Riduan Rahmat AMN | 22 February 2020 | 13 May 2020 | 2 months | Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof |
| 14th 2018–2022 | 14 | Nizam Mydin Bacha Mydin | 14 May 2020 | Incumbent | 4 years, 5 months | Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof |
| 14th 2018–2022 | 14 | Nizam Mydin Bacha Mydin | 14 May 2020 | Incumbent | 4 years, 5 months | Azhar Azizan Harun |
| 15th 2022–Incumbent | 14 | Nizam Mydin Bacha Mydin | 14 May 2020 | Incumbent | 4 years, 5 months | Johari Abdul |

## Controversy

In mid-May 2020, Riduan Rahmat's removal as SUDR led to an uproar especially amongst opposition lawmakers who challenged the constitutionality of his removal. He was re-assigned as the management division secretary of the Dewan Negara (Senate of Malaysia) which is one-rung lower in seniority than that of the SUDR. This was despite Rahmat being the senior-most parliamentary service servant having served since 1989. According to Articles 65 (3) and 125 (3) of the Constitution of Malaysia respectively, the SUDR can only be removed from office by a tribunal appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. Speculation was rife that Rahmat's removal was triggered by allegations that he was attempting to not reveal the motion of no confidence filed by former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad against the incumbent Muhyiddin Muhammad Yassin. Following his controversial dismissal, Rahmat leaves as having the shortest tenure as SUDR. Subsequently, the National Alliance (PN) governing coalition that wrested power from the Alliance of Hope (PH) in the 2020 Malaysian constitutional crisis removed the no-confidence vote from the agenda and altered the parliament sitting to consist of only the speech by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.