KUALA LUMPUR – Perikatan Nasional (PN) Youth has lodged a police report against the “unlawful and harmful” memorandum of understanding (MoU) supporting Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s leadership ahead of the confidence vote tomorrow.
Labelling the MoU as a blatant infringement of parliamentary democracy, PN Youth chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari said that the MoU is akin to a “pact” to take away the rights and freedoms of MPs to vote fairly and freely in Parliament.
“(The MoU) clearly restricts the freedom afforded to MPs to vote (in the Dewan Rakyat) based on their own individual thinking.
“(If the MoU is adhered to), then (citizens) might as well not bother voting for their MPs” he asserted in a recording posted on his Facebook page after filing a police report at the Dang Wangi district police headquarters here earlier today.
Fadhli, who is also Pasir Mas MP, said that the MoU is unlawful based on Sections 124(b), 125(c), and 225(b) under Act 574 of the Penal Code, which relates to compelling any person to labour against their will.
“PN Youth believes that the MoU is illegal and invalid based on Sections 24 and 25 of the Contract Act 1950, since its objective hinders parliamentary democracy, clashes with public policies and is not permissible under the law,” he added.
He also urged MPs to not allow themselves to be “pawned” by leaders of their respective political parties as they are meant to represent the voice of those who had voted for them.
“Citizens elected us as MPs…we should debate and vote (in Parliament) based on what we think is best for the people, instead of (caving in to) those who threaten to take away your parliamentary seat if you vote against your party (directives).
“Such threats lower the mentality and thinking level of MPs,” he said.
According to Article 4 of the Confidence Motion and Supply Bill of the Cooperation Agreement Among Coalitions in the Malaysian Unity Government, MPs in the unity government who fail to vote or support the prime minister in motions relating to confidence votes, supply bills or procedural motions with effect on the federal government’s stability will be deemed to have resigned.
The agreement was signed by Pakatan Harapan, Barisan Nasional, Gabungan Parti Sarawak, Gabungan Rakyat Sabah, and Warisan on Friday to seal their cooperation in the unity government.
Other objectives of the agreement include upholding the supremacy and the rule of law, the independence of the judiciary and public institutions, and the effectiveness and professionalism of security forces.
The agreement also spells out the need to strengthen the principle of separation of powers between the executive, legislative and judicial branches so that the federal government system has strong checks and balances to prevent centralisation of power and abuse.
PN chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has since lambasted the document as being “dictatorial” while hinting that Anwar lacks the confidence among parliamentarians to marshal majority support in the upcoming Dewan Rakyat session, which is set to begin tomorrow.
Similarly, Bersatu’s Masjid Tanah MP Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin described the MoU as “illegal, unconstitutional, dangerous and unenforceable”. – The Vibes, December 18, 2022
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