PM doesn’t have a simple majority in Parliament and his Minister doesn’t seem to have the brains to understand this!

By P Ramakrishnan

Ramakrishnan said, “Takiyuddin Hassan, the Minister in the Prime Minister’s department is incapable of understanding the meaning of majority support. How can there be any indication of support for the PM – if the confidence vote was not put to test? “

No matter what may be said or claimed, the Prime Minister, Muhyiddin Yassin, has never had the majority support in Parliament. In fact, the Pakatan Nasional (PN) is not a legitimate government because it wasn’t elected by a popular mandate. So, both the Prime Minister and his backdoor government remain illegitimate without a popular mandate.

But, all kinds of silly statements are made to shore up his popularity and hoodwink the population of this nation to project Muhyiddin as the one enjoying the majority support in Parliament. This is nothing but a concocted lie!

In refusing to bring forward the 27 motions that have been submitted to test the confidence in the Prime Minister, the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Takiyuddin Hassan, had ridiculously claimed:

·        “There has been no indication that Muhyiddin has lost majority support in the Dewan Rakyat so far.”

·        “The issue of a supposed lack of or loss of majority support for the Prime Minister does not arise at all.”

·        “The procedure will stand for government affairs to take precedence over private matters.”

Let’s examine the absurd statement of the Minister that “there has been no indication that Muhyiddin has lost majority support in the Dewan Rakyat so far.”

How can there be any indication of support for the PM – if the confidence vote was not put to test? Without a vote of confidence, there could be no credence to his claim that there is a definite indication of support! It is a myth to believe so!

As to the Minister’s dubious claim that “…the loss of majority support for the Prime Minister does not arise at all,” that claim is more ludicrous than spurious.

We, the thinking Malaysians beg to differ with the Minister. Because the confidence vote was never tested democratically, it is all the more necessary for a vote of confidence to settle this doubt. It is incumbent on the government to establish that it indeed enjoys majority support. It must prove that it has not lost the majority support by facts and not by unsubstantiated claims.

Parliament is the only place in a democracy to determine who commands the majority support to lead the government. If this opportunity is denied and obstructed deliberately by silly technical arguments, how is it possible to establish beyond a reasonable doubt that Muhyiddin has the majority support to be the PM?

Can the Minister answer this question diligently and honestly?

The Minister is clearly not capable of understanding the meaning of majority support. Majority support would mean that the PM has the support of at least 112 MPs out of the 222 MPs in Parliament to claim a simple majority. This simple truth has not been established so far.

What is abundantly clear is the fact the PM does not even have the defining 50 percent support of MPs in Parliament. This is an indisputable and unchallengeable fact. The PM has not shown that he has such a defining support of 111 MPs to convince us that he has the 50 percent support of Parliament. This is a fact beyond any reasonable doubt!

He had many days and many occasions since 26 Nov., 2020 to prove that he had at least 111 MPs on his side. He has failed miserably so far to do so!

In all the instances when bloc vote was put to the test at various committee stages, the allocations for the ministries were never approved by at least 111 MPs. The closest vote that the government secured was when 110 MPs voted to support the allocation for the Ministry of International Trade and Industry against 104 on Dec. 3. So where is the majority support that you claim, Takiyuddin?

The Minister is incapable of understanding the difference between governing with authority and governing in an authoritarian manner. When you have the clear support of the majority, then you govern with authority – you govern legitimately.

But when you don’t have that majority, as is evident with Muhyiddin, then you become an authoritarian government. That’s what the PN government is. Democratic principles and procedures have been set aside just to prevent democracy taking its natural course in determining whether the PM has majority support.

If the PM has any pride or dignity he should subject himself to this test honourably. But then, it would be expecting too much from a backdoor government that stole the popular mandate.

The PN’s stand had been that Anwar Ibrahim did not have the numbers to take over the government. The passing of Budget 2021 was held out as evidence that Anwar’s claim was an empty boast.

Then, what is your fear? Are you afraid that a vote of confidence will expose you as a PM without a majority to lead the government?

If not, then why don’t you put the motion of confidence to vote and shut up all the voices that are claiming and clamouring that you are a minority government? A faction of Parliament should not overlook or ignore what Malaysians desire.

You can bring forward the 27 motions lying at the bottom of the order paper so that they can be debated and decided upon to test the PM’s confidence once and for all? The whole country would want the question of confidence in the PM to be resolved expeditiously.

Pay heed, “It is impossible that the whisper of a faction should prevail against the voice of a nation.” – Lord John Russe

(The views expressed are those of the contributor and do not necessarily reflect the views of Rebuilding Malaysia.)