BOOK REVIEW | Reflections and narratives from the speaker's chair

BOOK REVIEW | With the fast-changing pace of the political landscapes, the fortunes of politicians or political groups can drastically change in the course of a week. Hence the adage, a week is a long time in politics.

Two years ago this week, Malaysians watched, some in joy and most in disgust and despair as a democratically elected government fell within a week - through a series of defections and skulduggery in what has come to be known as the “Sheraton move”.

The then Dewan Rakyat speaker Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof was caught unawares of the horse-trading and the manipulations before the perpetrators moved and put their plans into action. He had just returned from Georgia, leading a group of parliamentarians on an official visit when the drama unfolded.

In his book, Parliament, Unexpected, he writes: “I was not, then nor now privy to the manoeuvres, let alone as a direct or indirect participant. As the Speaker, I was, however, sucked into the political quagmire by a series of side events.”

He chronicled events of his rather short tenure and the tumultuous events when he presided over proceedings in the Dewan Rakyat.

Starting with the baptism of fire which he received