“It is therefore incumbent upon me to inform the public, that the whole “signing of an MoU to ensure stability” is, in my humblest opinion, nothing more than a publicity and possibly even a propaganda stunt to intimidate dissenting MPs into submission”
Raggie Jessy Rithaudeen
مواو تيدق برڤرلمباڬان – اهلي ڤرليمين تيدق ڤرلو كوسوڠكن كروسي جك تيدق سوكوڠ ڤي عيم سماس اوندي ڤرچاي
A news report has surfaced claiming that every party in the minority government led by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim must ensure that their MPs support Anwar and his government in any confidence motion or bill in the Dewan Rakyat.
This is according to a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by political party leaders, alleging that MPs who fail to toe their respective party’s line and vote against the prime minister or government will be deemed to have resigned as an MP.
The report adds that the MP’s seat is thereafter deemed vacant, citing Article 49A(1) of the Federal Constitution.
“The MP’s party must then issue a notice to the Dewan Rakyat Speaker on the vacant seat, according to Article 49A(1), to notify the Election Commission (EC) on holding a by-election,” the report further claimed.
This couldn’t be further from the truth, though from a constitutional perspective, I’d rather that lawyer Mohamed Haniff Khatri Abdulla, an expert on constitutional matters, explain the misconception via a live session tonight on the Raggie Jessy Rithaudeen You Tube channel (CLICK HERE OR REFER BELOW ARTICLE).
As for UMNO president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, GPS chairman Abang Johari and GRS chairman Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor being party to the pact, all I can say is this – their signatures mean nothing insofar as the need for MPs to vacate their seats go.
By virtue of an oversight, MPs aren’t constitutionally required to vacate their seats, and several political parties, including UMNO, have yet to amend their respective party constitutions to bring them in line with amendments to the Federal Constitution on anti-party hopping.
In other words, not only is the full implementation of the anti-hopping law as it was originally intended not possible, even if it were possible, UMNO and several other political parties have yet to legally and constitutionally recognise it.
Zahid knows this, and so does Hajiji, Abang Johari and Anwar.
Zahid also knows that any policy decision undertaken by the UMNO president must first get the approval of the party’s supreme council before it applies to all party members.
It is therefore incumbent upon me to inform the public, that the whole “signing of an MoU to ensure stability” is, in my humblest opinion, nothing more than a publicity and possibly even a propaganda stunt to intimidate dissenting MPs into submission.
