Representatives of the coalition allies, other political parties and senators cannot agree on the legality of Pita Limjaroenrat's renomination for prime minister and the joint parliament will debate the issue on Wednesday, when the second round of voting is scheduled.
House Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha, as ex-officio president of the parliament, convened a meeting of representatives of the three sides on Tuesday to discuss whether the leader of the election-winning Move Forward Party could be renominated on Wednesday, after the joint session rejected him on July 13.
After the two-hour meeting, Mr Wan said the three groups could not reach a conclusion and the matter would be debated in parliament on Wednesday. The party whips had been instructed to ensure the joint sitting remains orderly.
Mr Wan set Wednesday for the second round of voting for prime minister after Mr Pita failed to obtain a majority vote last Thursday.
Mr Wan said that on Tuesday some participants disagreed with the renomination, pointing out that a parliamentary regulation prohibited the resubmission of a failed motion during the same parliamentary session period.
Others thought Mr Pita's nomination could be resubmitted on Wednesday, because it was not an ordinary motion, he said.
Therefore, Mr Wan said, he would let parliamentarians debate the matter on Wednesday, when Mr Pita will again be nominated by the eight-party coalition supporting him. He would closely follow the debate before deciding on the legality of the renomination.
The parliament president expected the debate to take about two hours. The joint sitting would start at 9.30am on Wednesday. "I don't think the debate will be prolonged," he said.
Asked if another candidate could be nominated right away on Wednesday, Mr Wan said parliamentary regulations do not prevent that.
"The process is for the quick installation of the 30th prime minister, because the nation is waiting for a new prime minister to solve its problems," Mr Wan said.
