All three Kedah Umno assemblypersons appear to have voted in favour of the Pakatan Harapan candidate for the post of Kedah state assembly speaker.

Former Kuala Kedah MP Ahmad Kassim was appointed as the speaker after garnering 21 votes to the opposition's 15 votes.

Ahmad, a PKR member and is not an elected member of Kedah assembly, was nominated by Kedah Menteri Besar Mukhriz Mahathir (Harapan-Jitra) and seconded by Dr Ismail Salleh (Harapan-Pengkalan Kundor).

The opposition benched proposed state PAS commissioner Ahmad Fakhruddin Fakhrurazi, who is not a lawmaker, for the position.

There had been questions over the speaker selection as the Harapan bloc (18 seats) has an equal number of lawmakers as PAS (15) and Umno (3) on the opposition bench.

Mukhriz had previously said he was in discussion with the opposition to resolve this matter.