Whereas previously I was watching on the sidelines, now the effect of the Sheraton Move was thrust on me in the Speaker’s Office. I had to make the first in a series of hard decisions.

After careful consideration and a lot of soul-searching, I decided to reject the Interim Prime Minister’s representation because in my opinion the representation and request for the special sitting did not comply with the requirements of Standing Order 11(3).

The “business set down for the day”, in the words of the rule, had not been included in the representation. There was no proposed motion to be considered and decided. To my mind, “a matter of national interest” was just too vague.

Was the Dewan to be convened to decide on who should be the new Prime Minister? What would the motion sound like? Would it be right to accept such a motion and to direct a special meeting be convened when the Agong was still in the process of deciding who in His Majesty’s judgment was the person likely to...