KUALA LUMPUR – The motion of confidence for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has been passed by MPs in the Dewan Rakyat through a voice vote.
Speaker Datuk Johari Abdul called for a vote just before 6.15pm, to which MPs in the House replied in chorus, “Setuju (agree).”
With this, Anwar has secured the mandate from MPs to lead the unity government formed after the 15th general election results showed a hung Parliament.
The vote was taken after 13 MPs from the government and opposition had debated the motion, and after Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said had given the winding up speech on the motion.
No MP stood up to request for voting to be done by ballot.
The motion was earlier tabled by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof and seconded by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Anwar’s first decision after being sworn in as prime minister had been to call for the vote of confidence to allay any doubts on the legitimacy of his administration.
This came after Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who has consistently claimed that he had the support needed to form the government, challenged Anwar to prove that he has the necessary backing to be prime minister.
Anwar was appointed the nation’s 10th prime minister, following nearly a week of a national political impasse after GE15 concluded with no single coalition achieving the simple majority needed to form the federal government.
Meanwhile, Johari told MPs that they will be allowed to forego neckties for tomorrow’s sitting.
“There were suggestions that those who wish to wear suits tomorrow be exempted from wearing neckties. MPs can wear either baju Melayu or suits with no neckties, it’s an option,” he said in a reminder to MPs after today’s sitting was concluded.
Following the general election, the Dewan Rakyat is now in its first session of Parliament’s 15th term. The sitting continues tomorrow with the second reading (debate) of the Consolidated Fund (Expenditure on Account) Bill 2022, which is needed to fund the civil service until a new budget for 2023 is tabled. – The Vibes, December 19, 2022
