KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun, better known as Art Harun, said he has no regrets over accepting his new role as the Dewan Rakyat Speaker despite criticism hurled at him by the opposition bloc.
He said this when asked if he regretted accepting the position following the intense arguments he had to preside over in the Lower House on what was his first day on the job.
"That's not a zoo. That's our Dewan. This was a good experience for me and we learn from experience, so no (regrets).
"I think this is an honour for my family and I. It is a challenge and I see this as a way for me to serve the nation," he told a press conference at the Parliament building here today after he accepted the motion to end today's session early.
This marks the first full parliamentary sitting since Perikatan Nasional took over Putrajaya. The session will last for 25 days until Aug 27.
Asked if he was instructed to take over the Speaker job, Azhar replied in the negative, saying he had received an invitation by the government to take up the job.
He said he received the invitation before the Chini by-election nomination day (June 20), adding that he only resigned as the Election Commission chief upon deciding to accept the Speaker job.
He said that he would try his best to control the atmosphere in the Dewan Rakyat and its members.
"We will defend the Standing Order and it is my job together with my deputies to control the Dewan Rakyat.
"If they (MPs) want to continue to behave that way (in an unruly manner), let them because the public is watching. We will try our best to control the situation," he said.
During the press conference, Azhar also voiced his gratitude to his predecessor, former Speaker Tan Sri Mohamad Ariff Md Yusoff over the latter's contributions to the Dewan Rakyat throughout his two-year tenure.
Azhar said Ariff was his lecturer back in university and also his partner in a law firm they both worked at before.
"The Parliament is indebted to Ariff for all his services and contributions towards the process of parliamentary reform.
"I will continue the reform agenda, repair what needs to be repaired and come up with a new agenda if there are any improvements that we can include in the current parliamentary reform agenda," he said.