PETALING JAYA – DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng pointed out that only the Election Commission has the authority to redraw electoral boundaries.
He emphasised that such a matter has never been discussed among government MPs and expressed doubts about Muhyiddin’s understanding of basic constitutional matters.
“It’s no wonder that his administration was labelled as ‘kerajaan gagal’ (failed government),” he said.
Lim also addressed allegations by Bersatu deputy president Datuk Radzi Jidin that DAP acts as a “big brother” in the unity government.
He refuted these claims by highlighting DAP's limited representation in the government, with only four ministers.
“PN is good at slandering others. I hope the public can see that in their pursuit for victory and power, they will do anything, including raising baseless allegations,” he said.
Figment of imagination
Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil echoed Lim’s sentiments, describing Muhyiddin’s allegations about amending the federal constitution as baseless and wishful thinking.
Fahmi said that he had never heard of such a proposal and invited Muhyiddin to raise the issue at the upcoming Dewan Rakyat meeting, where he could seek clarification from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
“As a cabinet minister, this is the first time I’m hearing this figure. I don’t know where he got this from.
“If a minister has not heard of this, then to me this is just a figment of his imagination to scare people in view of the Pulai by-election.”
“I would like to remind him to not skip the Parliament meeting, and please ask questions during Prime Minister Question Time.”
Contentious point
Muhyiddin had said that if PH’s Suhaizan Kaiat wins the Pulai by-election on September 9, the government would redraw election boundaries and increase the number of parliamentary seats to 300, and DAP would gain the most.
He went further and said that voting for PH could be deemed “haram” and urged voters to back PN in the twin by-elections in Johor, following the death of Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub recently.
Muhyiddin said this during a PN ceramah in Kempas, Johor.
PN has been campaigning on the issue of denying the unity government a two-third majority in Parliament, and that only by retaining the Pulai seat, the government will have the numbers.
Experts have pointed out that redelineation of electoral boundaries can be done without a two-third majority, while adding new seats will require it.
Currently, some of the urban parliamentary constituencies have more than 300,000 voters while some rural seats have around 50,000 voters.
‘Political fatwa’
Meanwhile, Barisan Nasional chief and Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi expressed confidence that Pulai’s voters would not be swayed by what he called a “political fatwa”.
Zahid believed that the Johor electorate is mature enough to handle statements associated with Muhyiddin.
He questioned the basis of Muhyiddin’s claim, asking for references to Quranic verses, hadiths, analogical reasoning (qiyas), and consensus of scholars (ijma ulama).
He noted the inconsistency in Muhyiddin’s stance, highlighting that when Muhyiddin was part of PH 1.0, everything was deemed “halal” (permissible), but now, differing views have led to the issuance of various "fatwa”.
Muhyiddin’s remark has added a layer of intrigue to the Pulai by-election campaign, where political rhetoric and strategy continue to evolve as the election date draws near. – The Vibes, September 3, 2023
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