KUALA LUMPUR – Steadfast in standing by the principle of a parliamentarian’s right to independence and autonomy, Umno stalwart Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah has remained equivocal on how he will vote for Budget 2021.
“I still have another two days: I am entitled to my opinion,” he said in an exclusive interview with The Vibes at his home in Jalan Langgak Golf yesterday.
In a recent, widely publicised letter to the Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun, the Gua Musang MP, and presently the Elder of the House, emphasised his refusal to participate in the debates leading to the Budget 2021 vote.
Censuring the speaker of the House for seeking “consent” from the Minister in the Prime Minister Department (Law and Parliamentary Affairs) Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan in seeking to allow a no-confidence motion tabled by Langkawi MP and former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, he reiterated that engaging in any parliamentary debate within such a setting “points to a bad intention and deceives the constitution”.
In the strongly worded missive, Tengku Razaleigh stressed that, “Taking part in the Budget debate without ensuring the legitimacy of the prime minister and his ministers will adversely affect our (MPs') efforts to support the constitution and defend the rule of law”.
Asked for his personal evaluation of Budget 2021, Tengku Razaleigh, a former, and formative finance minister said, “I don't think it (Budget 2021) was an attempt to help us fight the pandemic, as was hoped by most people, and especially the Palace, who wished to see that we go all out to make sure that this pandemic does not threaten the livelihood of our people”.
“Since it focused mostly on what the government was trying to do in order to popularise the leadership, I don't think it has any relationship to either the pandemic or the economic recession we are experiencing.
“I think they (the present government) are very nervous; so, I think they want to make sure they are assured of their present position. I don't think at a time when most people are not even sure of their own tomorrow that this government should be concerned about their own position.”
Stressing that he had “nothing personal against Muhyiddin”, Tengku Razaleigh did, however, take a swipe at his recent attempt to declare a state of emergency amidst the pandemic.
“Do you need a declaration of emergency to tackle this problem?” he asked pointedly.
"I think you have enough laws to tackle the problem. There is no security threat, no rioting anywhere, there is no famine. I don't think there is any reason for there to be a declaration of emergency."
In the hour-long interview, Tengku Razaleigh expanded widely on his party Umno and the present political predicament. Garbed in parliamentary language and the rule of law, he stressed that his stance towards Perikatan Nasional is rooted on the principle of constitutionalism and due process.
“My argument is,” he said, “if the government is not legitimately constituted because the prime minister has not been made prime minister legitimately since he has not demonstrated as such, what I am pushing for is that he will go before the House and seek an endorsement and confirmation that command the majority in the House.”
“Until he does that, why should I participate in a debate presented by a government that is not legitimate. You cannot continue just dancing around the numbers.”
The full transcript of the interview with Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah will be published in the weekend edition of The Vibes. – The Vibes, November 25, 2020
Additional reporting by Zaidatul Syreen Abdul Rashid
