MP SPEAKS | Riduan Rahmat is making history as having the shortest stint as the 13th Dewan Rakyat secretary, as he was appointed to the post on February 22, 2020 – less than three months!

It is an ignominious end for Riduan’s parliamentary service for 31 years, as he joined the civil service as an administrative officer at the Parliament on January 31, 1989 and has served as Dewan Negara secretary since September 8, 2014.

Riduan should be immediately reinstated as his humiliating and drastic demotion is an unconstitutional punishment which violates Article 65 (2) of the Federal Constitution.

Article 65 (2) provides that the Dewan Rakyat secretary, which is one of the top civil service posts, should be appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, and “shall hold office until he attains the age of compulsory retirement for members of the general public service unless he sooner resigns his office or is transferred to another office in the general public service”.

Riduan is not being “transferred to another office in the general public service” but is unconstitutionally punished without cause and further subject to drastic demotion as well.