UNLESS you have been living under a rock, it is clear as day that Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s administration is under siege – a siege that could end either way for him once Parliament reconvenes.
Probably the most unpopular leader we have had, Muhyiddin has been bombarded by a barrage of no-confidence votes – albeit not in the hallowed halls of the lower House, but via public opinion and even through subtle messages from the monarchy.
The opening for the attacks on Muhyiddin’s Putrajaya was triggered when Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah summoned all 18 political party leaders and the Special Independent Emergency Committee, and received briefings from experts and agencies to Istana Negara to discuss the current national situation.
During those meetings, opposition leader and PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his Pakatan Harapan partners – DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng and Amanah president Mohamad Sabu – had made it clear that Parliament must reconvene.
They expressed to His Majesty their views on the government’s poor management of the Covid-19 pandemic and its resulting economic freefall, which has led to the suffering of many of His Majesty’s subjects – ranging from the B40 to M40, as well as segments of the T20.
It was very telling that Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was the only government-friendly party leader willing to talk to the press after his audience.
He stated Umno’s position to the king that the emergency should not continue after August 1 as it has brought more adversity towards the country.
“Umno also brought forward the voice of the public who are agitated and their concern in facing the pandemic that has affected their income and economy. Umno believes that Parliament should reconvene,” Zahid told the media.
“This can ensure that the country’s democratic system is defended, where elements of accountability and checks and balances in all aspects of the nation’s administration are in place.
“Parliament is an important platform as the official voice of the people regarding their interests,” he added.
Doom and gloom for Muhyiddin
The Agong’s meetings with political leaders was followed by an emergency meeting of the Conference of Rulers on June 16 where the nine royal households came to the conclusion that the Dewan Rakyat must sit to deliberate the current state of emergency and the National Recovery Plan.
Almost immediately after their sit-down, Istana Negara comptroller Datuk Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin issued His Majesty’s decree that he wanted Parliament to assemble, among other things.
However, a day before the conference, in what seemed to be a pre-emptive strike, Muhyiddin had announced that Parliament will reconvene – in September or October – about one month after the end of the emergency.
In order to protect his boss, de facto law minister Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan had then tried to find a loophole in the king’s decree by saying that His Majesty never specified the date and that September, which is three months from now, is close enough.
Police reports have since been lodged against the PAS lawmaker and he has come under investigation by the authorities.
Similarly, another salvo was fired on the Perikatan Nasional (PN) administration yesterday, this time from its ally of convenience – Umno.
Zahid issued a public ultimatum threatening that if Parliament is not convened in 14 days, he will summon his party’s Supreme Council to determine its next move.
At the same time, it is also no secret that Mahiaddin’s Bersatu and Umno have been at each other’s throats as they both rely on rural Malay votes to stay in power.
All of this spells doom and gloom for Mahiaddin and his fracturing PN alliance the moment Parliament can meet – seeing that he has 20 no-confidence motions against him, contrasted with just two confidence motions.
Artfully dodging confidence motions
Regardless of which of the two motions are tabled, should any of them be raised for a vote, it is likely it will be the end of the Pagoh MP’s administration. Since Umno has rebelled against him, he would have lost parliamentary majority.
Therefore, in order to save his own skin, the embattled PN leader has taken the step to delay the demise of his backdoor government by going against the Agong’s decree that the Dewan Rakyat should sit as soon as possible.
What are Mahiaddin’s options? Standing Order 11 says the Dewan Rakyat needs 28 days to reconvene upon His Majesty’s consent.
Section 14(1)(b) of the Emergency (Essential Powers) Ordinance 2021 states that Parliament may be summoned on the date the king thinks appropriate.
Lower House Speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun had pushed back any motions of confidence or no confidence against Muhyiddin to the very last agenda in the meetings – which means that it will never see the light of day.
As speaker, he has full rights to ensure that government motions are tabled first for discussion.
Azhar has also said that the only way he will allow a motion of confidence or no-confidence to be discussed is if a federal minister raises the vote.
This same tactic can still be employed should Parliament be called for a sitting within 14 days.
Seeing that there is an ongoing pandemic and the country has yet to achieve herd immunity, the speaker may artfully use this reason to delay the motions of confidence and no-confidence.
Otherwise, the PN administration under Mahiaddin will have committed the greatest sin a Malay can do towards his ruler – derhaka – by disobeying His Majesty.
One doubts that any politician or political party whose voting bank lies in the conservative, traditional and feudal-minded Malay heartland – whose ultimate loyalty lies with their sultan – would want to risk being branded as derhaka and lose out in the court of public opinion. – The Vibes, June 23, 2021
Azril Annuar is chief reporter of The Vibes
