(Nov 16): Petaling Jaya Selatan MP Hee Loy Sian's no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has been withdrawn, Deputy Speaker Datuk Ismail Mohd Said said today.

He said the PKR lawmaker had withdrawn the motion by notifying the House, according to Standing Order 29(1) on Nov 5.

Hee had filed the motion of no confidence against Najib before the start of the current sitting of the Dewan Rakyat, and it was placed as the 27th item on the order paper today.

However, opposition leader Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail later filed her own motion of no confidence against Najib and said that Hee's would be retracted.

Dr Wan Azizah filed her motion of no confidence after DAP said it was best that the move came from the leader of the opposition.

DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng had expressed dissatisfaction that Hee submitted the motion instead of Dr Wan Azizah, saying a no-confidence vote against the prime minister was a matter of national importance.

Dr Wan Azizah's no-confidence motion entered the order paper on November 5 but it is unlikely to be debated during the current sitting.

It is now listed as the second-last item in the line-up for debates at the current Dewan Rakyat sitting, which ends on Dec 3.

Najib has come under fire over the scandal surrounding his brainchild, state investment vehicle 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), as well as the RM2.6 billion "donation" from an unknown Middle Eastern donor into his personal accounts.

A large portion of the funds were put in his accounts ahead of the 2013 general election. PKR has filed a suit against Najib for breaking election laws with the funds.

A two-thirds majority is needed to push a no-confidence motion through, but the opposition lacks the numbers with only 88 MPs in the 222-member Dewan Rakyat.

The newly formed Pakatan Harapan informal opposition coalition only has 72 MPs. – The Malaysian Insider