KUALA LUMPUR – Umno lawmakers who defy the party’s order to support Budget 2021 face the possibility of being dropped from the next general election, said Tan Sri Annuar Musa.
The Supreme Council member said MPs are nominated by their respective parties to stand in elections, and so, it is their responsibility to support their parties’ stand.
“It must be noted that we use the whip system. So, when a decision is made by the party, the chief whip will give orders to the MPs, and the lawmakers must vote based on this.
“In our case, the whip has been ordered by our party president (Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi) to support the Budget. If there are members who decide to act alone, then don’t bother when the election comes. The party will also act on its own.
“If you don’t abide by the party’s decisions, then you must be ready for whatever actions are taken,” he told a press conference in the Parliament building today.
He was responding to fellow party man Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah’s statement that MPs should vote according to their conscience, especially when it comes to the Budget.
The Malaysian Insight reported the Umno advisory council chairman as saying the party should not be telling him what to do, as he represents his constituency, not party.
Annuar took a swipe at the Gua Musang MP for saying Umno should be given more important portfolios in the cabinet, seeing as to how the party has the most parliamentary seats in the government.
Such a notion arises when leaders are power-hungry and care more about positions than helping the people, he said.
“To me, all portfolios are equally important, because government decisions are made based on the principle of collective responsibility. There is no one minister who is not important.”
He said it is the prime minister’s prerogative to appoint whoever he feels is most suited to a cabinet post.
“We must focus on our duty to protect the people, and not constantly politicise the issue of positions. These posts are not our right, and they don’t belong to us. We are only given a temporary responsibility to serve the people.” – The Vibes, November 19, 2020
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