Muhyiddin’s offers an attempt to cling to power – analysts, MP

KUCHING (Aug 15): The Perikatan Nasional’s (PN’s) proposal to table the Bill to stop elected representatives from party-hopping is deemed as a desperate attempt to retain itself in power by two political analysts and Bandar Kuching MP.

University of Malaya socio-political analyst Assoc Prof Dr Awang Azman Awang Pawi opined that although the Bill is good, offering to table this bill with PN’s majority in doubt can be construed as a desperate attempt to retain Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as Prime Minister.

Even if the Bill was passed in the Dewan Rakyat, he added that the law may run afoul with the people’s freedom of association enshrined in Article 10 (1) (c) of the Federal Constitution.

“However, it can be amended by allowing the elected representatives to hop parties so as not to restrict association – but the seats represented will still belong to the party. This is what needs to be done,” he said when contacted by The Borneo Post yesterday.

Prof James Chin, who is Professor of Asian Studies at University of Tasmania in Australia, said that even if the law is enacted, it is highly unlikely to be legal.

“The one on the anti-hopping law – this case has been brought in court several times, I think twice; and twice the court ruled that it is unconstitutional. So it really depends on how they (PN government) frame the law,” he added.

Chin added that the government of the day would need at least two-thirds majority support from the MPs in order to make the prime minister’s limited tenure and anti party-hopping law a reality.

“This can be done as long as the government can garner bi-partisan support in Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara by having the two-thirds majority of votes to pass those Bills, to be tabled in Dewan Rakyat, into laws,” he said.

Muhyiddin said his administration would work on parliamentary reforms to ensure that all MPs, be they from the ruling or opposition coalition, could sit on all Parliamentary Select Committees (PSC) adding that the number of PSC can be increased to make sure that all MPs have an extensive role to play so as to ensure check-and-balance of the Dewan Rakyat.

Despite Muhyiddin’s assurances, Chin doubted the Opposition would support him now that the PN government is in desperate situation.

The opposition would more likely see this as the opportunity to pull him down rather than help him to stay in power, he said.

However, Chin believed it might be premature to write off Muhyiddin now as he might have a few cards up his sleeve.

“Most people said that Muhyiddin is finished – I take a different stand. He has time before the Parliament reopens. He still has time to bring people over to his side. The things to remember is that all things like statutory declarations are not worth the paper it is printed on. It cannot be legally enforced. So the only vote that is valid is the vote on the floor of Parliament, unless the King intervenes.

“But again – I think it is highly unlikely that the King will intervene now – that the sitting is set on early September. So the most likely outcome is between now and the sitting,” he said.

Concurring with Chin , Awang Azman said although these proposals were good, it is seen as an act of desperation as PN no longer have the support and has to utilise the scheme of things as was stated by Muhyiddin himself to cling to power.

“These proposals by Muhyiddin is ironic given their previous stance – when they have no majority support, they begged for support. Now most of the Bersatu leaders who hopped, suddenly wanted to table anti-party hopping law. This is unfathomable.

“When they were strong, they pull MPs’ budget – now they promise to give equal budget to MPs. Once seen as wanting to retain power as Prime Minister, suddenly wanting to limit the tenure. Having previously not allowing the Undi18, now allowing it automatically.

“So with these proposals – although they are good, they more like acts of desperation,” he added.

Meanwhile, Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii, said that no MPs should switch party unless he is expelled or the party is deregistered.

However, this gives a lot of power to the Registry of Societies (ROS) which is under the Home Ministry, unless ROS is placed under the Parliament instead, he said.

“Ideally, put ROS under Parliament first to remove it from possible political interference, then such reform is more substantive. Fact of matter, such hopping problem stem from this government from their own move during the Sheraton Move,” he said when contacted.

The Sheraton Move is the moniker for the 2020–21 Malaysian political crisis, which is still ongoing, that led to the appointment of Muhyiddin as the 8th prime minister in March 2020.

“It speaks volume on his sincerity when a PM only offers all this reforms, when he is hanging by a thread at the end of his lifeline.”

“They will try to use “good for the people” as a narrative to justify this offer. But fact of matter, if it’s really for the people, or they really cared about the people, this would have been offered much much earlier,” he pointed out.

They did not deal with the core issue which is the incompetency of their Cabinet. And instead, Muhyiddin should have announced the shrinking of his over-bloated Cabinet if its really about the people, said Dr Yii.

“While I am all for political stability, we cannot excuse or perpetuate failures.”
On a similar note, he questioned why reforms on Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) was not put forward in the ‘big offer’ from the prime minister.

“I, in good conscience, cannot condone an open “scheme of things” on live TV nor condone failures and hypocrisy. We need to send a message and he (PM) and his cabinet needs to takes responsibility for his failures in the vote.”

“Then, we negotiate such reforms as baseline with the upcoming PM or government who needs to reset the approach towards Covid-19 and the economy.”

“I love this country and what is best for its people. That is why I cannot in good conscience allow failures in leadership to continue, no matter what the “candies that’s been offer”.