Azhar started his career at a firm named Allen & Gledhill in 1987 and also used to work at Tetuan KH Koh, Azhar & Koh in 1992. Then, he continued his career at various law firms like Tetuan Khaw & Hussein, Tetuan TH Su & Partners, Tetuan Lamin & Co, Tetuan Hisham Sobri & Kadir, Tetuan Shafee & Co and Tetuan Cheang & Ariff (owned by Tan Sri Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof, who had become the Parliament Speaker whom Azhar has succeeded later). He was also a defendant lawyer, as well as a solicitor at Tetuan Azhar & Goh.[1][6]
Chairman of Election Commission (2018–2020)
Azhar was first appointed as the Chairman of EC on 21 September 2018,[7][8] not long after the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition under new Prime MinisterMahathir Mohamad came into power succeeding their campaigns against previous Barisan Nasional (BN) government corruptions and abuses in the 2018 general election (GE14), as his past experience and known reputation suits the institutional reforms agenda of new ruling PH administration and the peoples' mandate as well as expectations had made himself a right choice.[9] Eight by-elections were held under his chairmanship and he had implemented a number of reforms in the country's electoral system including online voter registration, voter's card, providing facilities for disabled and elderly voters as well as live-streaming of the vote counting process on Facebook.[1] He served the office until his resignation on 29 June 2020.[3]
Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat (2020–2022)
After quitting EC position, as speculated Azhar was appointed as the Parliament Speaker on 13 July 2020,[3][10] in the time of a change government again in the 2020 Malaysian political crisis after being nominated by the Perikatan Nasional (PN) new Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin[11] His controversial appointment motion moved in advance by Muhyiddin following an impromptu motion to unseat incumbent Mohamad Ariff first leaving himself the single nomination and candidacy for the vacant position.[12] The motion seconded by Senior Minister Mohamed Azmin Ali, succeeded with a 111–109 vote.[13]
He had overseen the suspension of Parliament due to the proclamation of the 2021 Malaysian state of emergency from January to August which had also witnessed the flip-flop enactment and revocation of Emergency Ordinance (EO), to prevent or delay any election to keep power by hiding behind the motive to curb COVID-19 pandemic has led to his failures to protect the rights of parliamentarians of the house.[14][15]
The replacement of Ismail Sabri Yaakob of Barisan Nasional (BN) as the new Prime Minister of the PN government in August 2021 allowed controversial Azhar to remain as Parliament Speaker.[16][17]
Controversies and issues
Azhar has continued defending in favour of the PN - BN government on a number of occasions whenever the administration is in predicaments.[18][19] He has rejected a motion on 6 October 2021 proposed by Opposition Leader, Anwar Ibrahim to debate the Pandora Papers and dismissed the matter as "not urgent" despite it being widely and internationally considered a big amount of money being illegally siphoned and held offshore (outside the country) that must be investigated immediately.[20][21][22]
On 20 July 2020, Azhar claimed that he did not order a judge to adjourn the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) trial against former prime minister Najib Razak so that the latter can deliver a speech in parliament.[23]
On 20 December 2021, Azhar was criticised in dismissing the demands and calls from MPs to debate the worsening December 2021 Malaysian floods crisis during the parliamentary sitting.[24][25]
