PM Muhyiddin's quest for confidence of majority may be an OPPORTUNITY for Democratic Reforms - A clear divide between EXECUTIVE and LEGISLATURE. Similar to what Mahathir proposed in early 2020? But, maybe Muhyiddin may need to quit to be replaced by another - followed by a new Cabinet as well, with the best of MPs becoming Ministers.
Well, PH and UMNO has rejected the 'offer' - but wonder whether all the MPs in those parties decided, or was it merely the 'leadership'. The 'feudalism' within political parties really must end to be replaced with true democracy within parties.
When at present, there seems to be NO OTHER MP with the required majority support to be appointed Prime Minister, rather than dissolution of Parliament, and a RISK that we may end up under the dictatorship of some 'caretaker PM' who may revive EMERGENCY to delay General Elections indefinitely using the Covid-19 justification is a real concern.
If
PM Resigns, and NO MP with confidence of majority - a CRUCIAL concern?
Parliament Dissolved? Emergency Again? Elections delayed indefinitely?
If PM Resigns, and NO MP with confidence of majority - a CRUCIAL concern? Parliament Dissolved? Emergency Again? Elections delayed indefinitely?
Malaysia may soon be practicing true DEMOCRACY, which is consistent as per the Federal Constitution - which do not really place any importance to political parties.
Democracy provides for 3 Branches of Government - the EXECUTIVE, the LEGISLATURE and the JUDICIARY.
EXECUTIVE is the Prime Minister and his/her Cabinet.
LEGISLATURE is all the Members of Parliament and Senators, and they have to be the check and balance to the Executive - this responsibility naturally fall to ALL MPs not members of the Cabinet. That includes also MPs from parties that support the PM(popularly known as the 'Back-Benchers) and those who do not support the PM(popularly known as the 'Opposition'). It is common to see that the 'Back-Benchers' often fail in their role of being a 'check and balance', and are seen to be pro-Executive MPs, who are often seen as staunch supporters of the PM and Cabinet did. Sadly, when it comes to VOTING for Bills and other votes, MPs vote not according to their personal beliefs/convictions/values - but simply as 'directed' by their respective political parties who provide 'orders' of how to vote by 'party WHIPS' - So, in Parliament, MPs no longer act as peoples' representatives but rather party representatives. If only all non-Cabinet MPs carried out their duty to be an effective 'check and balance' to the Executive, it would be so much better. If only they debated and voted simply based on their own position for the best interest of the people and country, it will be so much better.
PRIME MINISTER's Cabinet - it is ONLY him that chooses the best amongst MPs and/or Senators to be in the Cabinet. This usually does not happen as the past PMs seem to have to listen to the demands and quotas imposed by the parties or MPs that supported him - hence, we find not the BEST of the MPs chosen to be this or that Minister...
The Federal Constitution does not BAR the PM from choosing a MP in an Opposition party to be a member of the Cabinet. The choice of the Cabinet is solely the choice of the Prime Minister. An end of the demands of parties that supported the PM that he appoints so and so, or so many from their party into Cabinet is so much better..
The idea that Muhyiddin may be proposing now(or rather forcing us to think about 'alternatives' to existing norm) is not new for Malaysia - in fact, Mahathir also proposed a similar idea
Dr Mahathir said that it would have been his job as an interim prime minister to help set up a government where office bearers would be appointed regardless of their political affiliations, but asserted that other politicians could only see the interests of their political parties instead of the nation’s.
“I thought we should all forget about our parties and think about the nation. So I told all party heads that we should have a Unity Government and parties should forget their individual agenda. We should also bring in non-politicians into the government,” he said in a blog post, referring to his unity government proposal that he had also announced in a television broadcast on February 26.
What Muhyiddin may be proposing now is that MPs support him as Prime Minister. Is he suggesting also that the best available MPs and/or Senators (irrespective of party affiliation) will be appointed to be members of his Cabinet?
GE14 or PRU14 was the first time where no SINGLE party emerged with a MAJORITY sufficient to select a Prime Minister.
As Pakatan Harapan had yet to be REGISTERED, the victorious coalition of parties included PKR, DAP, Amanah and BERSATU. These parties joined other parties and MPs including Warisan, parties in Sabah/Sarawak made the needed numbers to bring what came to be known as the PH PLUS government.
On 16 May 2018, the PH coalition was officially registered, but interestingly the full members were 4 - PKR, DAP, Amanah and BERSATU. Others were merely allied parties or strategic partners.
Then there was a lot of PARTY HOPPING - and even the PH member parties accepted these party hoppers, many from the BN.
Then BERSATU leaves PH, and PKR also lost a lot of MPs - the Sheraton Move. A new coalition of parties and MPs that included BN and PAS. This finally led to Muhyiddin emerging as the MP with the confidence of the majority to be PM - and he was elected as Prime Minister.
Perikatan Nasional was registered on 7 August 2020 as Parti Perikatan Nasional - its members were BERSATU, PAS, STAR, GERAKAN and SAPP, and the total number of MPs was 50. Hence again, we did not have any single party with majority. PN with the support of other parties and independent MPs, including the BN(note post GE14, BN's membership shrunk to just about 4 - UMNO, MIC, MCA and PBRS, after GE14 BN parties had about 79 MPs, and now about 40)
With the withdrawal of support from some UMNO MPs, PM Muhyiddin may be in a situation that he no longer enjoys the majority of MPs support - hence, the issue now. So far, no other MP has emerged as having the majority support. Whilst Anwar Ibrahim may have the support of PH, he has difficulty of even getting the support of other existing Opposition MPs - if PH supports some other MP, then there is the possibility of some other than Muhyiddin emerging with the required majority support to be PM.
Political parties are also facing a 'dilemma' - as supporting a 'wrong' candidate may diminish its support amongst the voters come next election. BN's election not to join PN is possibly because of this.
The government of the day as such is not simply a Perikatan Nasional government(who has about 50 MPs) - but a coalition government of PN-BN-GPS Plus.
COVID-19 makes it very unsafe to have the next General Elections, more so the required amendments of law that may have made a 'SAFE' elections possible as we are in a pandemic has yet to be made. Needed Bills were not tabled, passed, etc - a failure of Muhyiddin's government?
SO, is it time to move away from PARTY POLITICS when it comes to election of the PM, and thereafter new PM's Cabinet?
Is it time for non-Cabinet MPs/Senators to be an effective Legislature that will keep a close check and balance of the EXECUTIVE(PM and Cabinet)?
Is it time to get rid of the 'PARTY WHIP SYSTEM' - that removes the freedom of independent MPs to debate and vote as per their views(and those of their own constituencies) as a TRUE People's Representative? In other countries, they have the 'WHIP' but it is used for very important votes only - usually Financial Bills or on matters of fundamental issues - not always.
The OLD SYSTEM saw the PM & Cabinet(Executive) being forced to had out unnecessary 'gifts' like political appointments, GLC positions, etc - including MORE financial allocations to MPs that support the 'government' - Some Muhyiddin's proposal of SAME allocations to all MPs is a breath of fresh air.
One worry expressed was 'Dictatorship of the PM' - lame as any Prime Minister can so easily be removed by a loss of majority support. So, when some talk about this 'DICTATORSHIP', what they mean is the loss of ability for political parties that support the government to control decision-making by the Prime Minister. LAME, also as then we already have the LEGISLATURE and the JUDICIARY in place to be a 'check and balance'. So, that worry may be simply because of a 'selfish reason' of some political party leaders to be able to CONTROL the PM/Cabinet?
HENCE, knowing that dissolution of Parliament and the holding of the next General Elections NOW during the Covid-19 Pandemic may not be best for the well-being, health, etc of the people - other options considered.
The PRIORITY of them Opposition, or even the existing PN-BN-GPS Plus coalition, is to be ABLE TO FORWARD AN MP WHO ENJOYS THE MAJORITY SUPPORT OF THE 220 MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR THE KING TO BE ABLE TO APPOINT A NEW PRIME MINISTER.
We all believe that Muhyiddin may have lost majority support, so a VOTE of Confidence(or Non-Confidence) during the next Parliamentary session beginning 6/9/2021 is NOT THE PRIORITY. If NO other MP with the required majority support, then the KING may have no choice ... and we may be put under a very real 'dictatorship' of the 'caretaker or interim Prime Minister', who by reason of Covid may delay indefinitely the next General Elections...
Who can be the MP who has the majority support? Ismail Sabri(current DPM), Anwar Ibrahim(Opposition Leader), Mahathir(former PM), Ku Li (former President of Semangat 46 and 'former leader' of Opposition), Hassan Karim, Tony Pua, Shafie Apdal, Najib, .....WHO? WHO?
Muhyiddin offers olive branch to opposition, promises reforms
Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin today said he cannot resign because no one else commands the majority to replace him.
He said a government is needed to ensure that the ongoing Covid-19 vaccination programme continues as scheduled.
He also appealed to the opposition to back him in the upcoming confidence vote by promising a slew of reforms. He promised, among others:
- Bipartisan consultation for supply (budget) bills.
- Implementation of Undi18 without waiting for automatic registration.
- Laws to prevent defection of lawmakers.
- Term limits for prime minister.
- Annual allocation for all MPs.
- Half of the select committees are to be headed by the opposition.
- Opposition leader to be treated as a senior cabinet minister.
Some of the proposed reforms - term limits for the prime minister and the "anti-hopping" law - will require constitutional amendments, he said.
Muhyiddin said he envisaged a government that is more stable and inclusive after the confidence vote.
"The purpose of my proposal is to allow the government to function during a pandemic through bipartisan support in Parliament.
"I will invite all political party leaders to discuss this proposal next week... I am ready to listen to their feedback on these proposals," he added.
Should a deal be struck, Muhyiddin said he will call for a special sitting of the Dewan Rakyat.
"I promise that I will act honourably and constitutionally to resolve this political crisis.
"My priority is only to ensure the government continues to function, handle the pandemic and resuscitate the country," he added.
Muhyiddin's olive branch came at a time when the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is attempting to independently evaluate whether the former still commanded support from the majority.
Under Article 43 of the Federal Constitution, a prime minister that ceases command of the majority has to resign unless the Agong agrees to dissolve Parliament.
As of Aug 9, Muhyiddin is believed to command the support of 100 MPs - 11 short of a simple majority - after Umno officially withdrew support.
Two Umno MPs have left his cabinet. Twelve others have withdrawn support. - Malaysiakini, 13/8/2021
Dr Mahathir says failed to form unity govt in 2020 as Kit Siang felt he was aiming to be dictator
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 3 ― Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today said he was unsuccessful in forming a unity government last year after the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) administration he led, due to the perception that he was a “dictator”.
Musing on how Malaysia would have turned out if he had managed to get a unity government together, the former prime minister said he ultimately failed to get sufficient numbers of MPs to back him for such a cause.
Dr Mahathir said that it would have been his job as an interim prime minister to help set up a government where office bearers would be appointed regardless of their political affiliations, but asserted that other politicians could only see the interests of their political parties instead of the nation’s.
“I thought we should all forget about our parties and think about the nation. So I told all party heads that we should have a Unity Government and parties should forget their individual agenda. We should also bring in non-politicians into the government,” he said in a blog post, referring to his unity government proposal that he had also announced in a television broadcast on February 26.
Having stepped down on February 24, 2020 as prime minister following a series of events sparked by the infamous “Sheraton Move”, Dr Mahathir was appointed on the same day by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to be interim prime minister while waiting for a new prime minister to be appointed and a new Cabinet to be formed.
The Langkawi MP noted that the late Tun Abdul Razak Hussein had as the head of Malaysia’s National Operations Council ― formed after the May 13, 1969 racial riots ― sought to bring all the opposition parties into the government.
“He succeeded with Gerakan, PAS and SUPP. But DAP refused. Still he felt justified in naming the new coalition, the National Front or Barisan Nasional,” Dr Mahathir said.
Recalling Razak’s efforts, Dr Mahathir said he thought that something similar was needed for Malaysia.
“But I failed because Kit Siang said I was trying to become a dictator. He supported Anwar as the PH candidate. Had the 92 votes gone to me I would have 154 votes. You can imagine what direction the nation would take when all parties put the nation first,” he said, referring to DAP veteran leader Lim Kit Siang and PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
DAP, PKR and Parti Amanah Negara form the Pakatan Harapan coalition, which Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia was formerly a member before its pullout resulted in the collapse of the PH federal government and led to Dr Mahathir’s resignation as prime minister on February 24, 2020.
Days after Dr Mahathir’s February 26 public suggestion of a unity government and after several names were floated as candidates to be prime minister by different political groups, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was on March 1 sworn in as the country’s eighth prime minister.
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