Donald Mojuntin
KOTA KINABALU: As citizens who respect the Malaysian Constitution, the parliamentary democracy system and the constitutional monarch, United Progressive Kinabalu Organization (UPKO) accepts the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong’s order on the appointment of Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob as the ninth Prime Minister of Malaysia.
“We accept it with an open heart as it is in accordance with Article 43 (2) (a) of the Malaysian Constitution. We have the same high hopes as the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong who wants a new political landscape to be formed with the appointment of this new Prime Minister. The aspirations of the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong are the aspirations of Malaysians as well,” said UPKO deputy president Senator Datuk Donald P Mojuntin.
This, he opined, is the first and foremost challenge of the new Prime Minister as this new political landscape involves the formation of a ‘bi-partisan’ government.
This means that the new government will involve all parties whether the government or the opposition, said Mojuntin, adding that it involves power sharing and consensus which is critical in ensuring political stability so that full focus on the Covid-19 pandemic and economic recovery can be implemented.
Mojuntin also said that the new Prime Minister must also take the initiative in implementing important matters as stated by the previous Prime Minister, namely increasing the Covid-19 fund’s ceiling as well as tabling in Parliament the amendment to the Constitution to limit the term of office of the Prime Minister to two terms and the Anti-Party Hopping Bill.
He must also look into parliamentary reform in the matter of autonomy and independence from the executive power which needs to be strengthened and implemented as well as implement Undi 18 without waiting for implementation of automatic registration.
The new Prime Minister must also discuss with the Opposition, Bills including the Supply Bill that are to be tabled in Parliament, he said and urged the new Prime Minister to look into all Members of Parliament of regardless of political parties, receiving the same annual allocation so that services to the people in their respective constituencies can be coordinated in a balanced manner.
According to Mojuntin, the rakyat are fed up and no longer want political unstability that has hampered efforts to fight Covid-19 and revive the economy.
The people are fed up with politicians who care about personal ambitions and who are crazy about power. The people are fed up with corruption, kleptocracy and bad governance, he stressed.
The people want reform. If the new Prime Minister fails to create a new political landscape and political stability cannot be achieved then it is the country and the people who will suffer the consequences, he said in a statement on Sunday.
“Let us not forget, on 17 August 2021 Yang Di-Pertuan Agong said that the new Prime Minister needs to prove his majority support in the Dewan Rakyat sitting to be held on 6 September 2021.
“According to Article 43 (4) of the Malaysian Constitution, if the Prime Minister does not have the support of the majority in the House of Representatives, then he has to resign along with his cabinet. In other words, the Prime Minister still needs to strengthen his appointment in the next parliamentary session,” Mojuntin pointed out.
UPKO, he said, congratulates the new Prime Minister on his appointment because they are civilized people.
However, all parties should not be too excited and should be calm because the appointment of a new Prime Minister is only the first step, he stressed.
“We pray and hold hope that this new Prime Minister will do the right thing and take heed from the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong who stated, the winner doesn’t take all.
The new Prime Minister should know that our people want the country to prosper and their wellbeing to be given due priority and attention.
“The rakyat doesn’t want old wine in a new bottle,” he said.