<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 19): Former three-term Sungai Petani Member of Parliament Datuk Johari Abdul from PKR of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition was voted in as the new Dewan Rakyat Speaker.&nbsp;</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>Prime Minister and PH chairman Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had nominated Johari for the post, while Deputy Prime Minister and Barisan Nasional chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi seconded.&nbsp;</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>Meanwhile, Opposition Leader and Perikatan Nasional secretary general Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin had nominated former home minister Tan Sri Mohd Radzi Sheikh Ahmad, and Kota Bharu MP Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan seconded.&nbsp;</p></div><div class=inPageAd id=div-gpt-ad-inpage></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>Following the casting of votes by MPs, Johari Abdul received 147 votes, while Mohd Radzi received 74 votes.&nbsp;</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>Johari, who was the Kedah State Legislative Assembly opposition leader, announced a day before (Sunday, Dec 18) that he had vacated his Gurun state seat.&nbsp;</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>The election of the Dewan Rakyat Speaker was top on the agenda of the first meeting of the first session of the 15th Parliament under the Unity Government led by Anwar on Monday.&nbsp;</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p><em>For more&nbsp;Parliament&nbsp;stories, click&nbsp;<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.theedgemarkets.com/flash-categories/parliament&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1671461208158000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0xPpIPcX2yZTfhZ3vYo8qG" href="https://www.theedgemarkets.com/flash-categories/parliament" target="_blank">here</a>.</em></p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p><em>Read also:<br />
<a href="https://www.theedgemarkets.com/article/johari-abdul-vacates-gurun-state-seat-immediate-effect" target="_blank">Johari Abdul vacates Gurun state seat with immediate effect</a></em></p></div>


Former three-term Sungai Petani Member of Parliament Datuk Johari Abdul from PKR of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition was voted in as the new Dewan Rakyat Speaker.

Johari Abdul is new Dewan Rakyat Speaker

The Canadian economy appeared to lose its strength towards the end of this year even as the central bank cut interest rates at a rapid pace.

Advance data suggested gross domestic product shrank 0.1% in November, the first monthly contraction this year, after 0.3% expansion a month earlier, Statistics Canada said on Monday.

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Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, whose party looks set to lose power early next year, is under increasing pressure from his own legislators to step down and let someone else take over.

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Nordstrom Inc is going private through an all-cash transaction valued at about US$6.25 billion (RM28.16 billion) in a bet by the founding family that the department-store company will be more successful without the scrutiny and demands of the public market.

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Germany searched on Monday for answers on possible security lapses after a man drove his car into a Christmas market, killing at least five people and casting a renewed spotlight on security and immigration ahead of a snap election.

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Amtrak railway service across the Northeast Corridor faced delays and cancellations on Monday, causing chaos for passengers travelling ahead of the holidays.

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A businessman lost over half a million ringgit after being deceived by an individual impersonating a representative from Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) on Saturday.

Nilai district police chief Supt Abdul Malik Hasim said that at 11.17am on Monday, his department received a report from a 31-year-old man who had received a phone call from the scammer regarding his business premises.

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EVENING 5: Five things you need to know today

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Thailand will increase the daily minimum wage by an average 2.9% to between 337 baht and 400 baht (RM44.19-RM52.45) from Jan 1, a senior official said on Monday.

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<p>Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp Ltd will give a one-off payment to junior employees globally for the second year in a row to alleviate ongoing cost-of-living pressures.</p>


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<p>1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), the former Malaysian sovereign wealth fund embroiled in one of the largest financial scandals in history, and its subsidiaries have initiated legal claims exceeding US$1 billion (RM4.5 billion) against Hong Kong-headquartered corporate services provider Amicorp Group and its co-founder and chief executive officer Toine Knipping.</p>


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<p>HeiTech Padu Bhd (KL:HTPADU) said on Monday that its group managing director and group chief executive officer, Salmi Nadia Mohd Hilmey, is resigning voluntarily&nbsp;from all positions within the company, effective from Dec 31.</p>


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<p>As of the third quarter of 2024, highway-related projects awarded to Bumiputera contractors, in Grades G1 to G7, have reached RM15.09 billion, nearly matching the RM15.1 billion allocated to the group last year, said Deputy Works Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan.</p>


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<p>International Finance Corporation (IFC) and a consortium of six global financial institutions will lend over US$900 million (RM4 billion) to US-based Yondr for the construction of its data centre in Malaysia.</p>


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<p>Capital A Bhd is expected to exit Practice Note 17 (PN17) status by the first quarter of next year after submitting its proposed regularisation plan to Bursa Malaysia Securities Bhd on Monday.</p>


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<p>Malaysia’s listed companies must prepare sustainability reporting in their annual reports using the IFRS’ Sustainability Disclosure Standards, Bursa Malaysia announced on Monday.</p>


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<p>...

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<p>Power and water company Malakoff Corp Bhd (KL:MALAKOF) has redesignated its executive vice-chairman Tan Sri Che Khalib Mohamad Noh as non-independent non-executive chairman, effective from January 2025.</p>


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<p>VentureTECH Sdn Bhd and MTC Orec Sdn Bhd have formed strategic partnerships to accelerate the development of MTC Orec's biomethane plants, reinforcing both companies' commitment to sustainable growth and renewable energy innovation.</p>
