The Johor Housing and Real Property Board Bill 2014 involving the jurisdiction of the sultan, has put Johor Pakatan Rakyat in a dilemma on how they should raise their objection at the state assembly sitting.
With the normal voting by show of hands on a Bill in the state assembly, Pakatan state assemblypersons risk being seen to support the controversial Bill.
Should the opposition pact ask for bloc voting, it will risk being labelled as acts against the ruler.
The Bill, which will be tabled at the Johor assembly on Monday, willempower the Johor sultan to oversee the accounts of the mooted Johor Housing and Real Property Board.
Johor Opposition Leader Boo Cheng Hau (right) has stated that Pakatan has reached a consensus that the bill “puts too much burden” on the sultan, and has suggested the state assembly should be the one to bear the responsibility of checks and balances.
However, Pakatan has only 18 seats in the state legislative hall and will not be able to stop BN from passing the Bill.
As such, it is a fine balance for Pakatan between a declaration of their position and to avoid being labelled as ‘anti-sultan’.
As normal procedure, the Bill is passed with the speaker asking for assemblypersons to vote by a show of hands.
However, for those who do not raise their hands, the speaker will say “for those who disagree, it has been agreed” (yang tidak setuju, dipersetujukan), which means that their official objection will not be recorded.
A Pakatan state assemblyperson who requested anonymity said they are concerned that the voting result recorded will state that they have agreed to the Bill, and it will be difficult for Pakatan to explain to their supporters.
Prickly situation for Pakatan
In order to avoid the above, Pakatan can ask for bloc voting, in which their stand against the Bill will be clearly stated.
However, the move may backfire and anger Malay voters in the rural areas who believe in and want to uphold the position of the Malay rulers.
It is foreseeable that Umno assemblypersons and the mainstream media they control may play up the issue and label Pakatan as ‘anti-royalty’.
In Johor, some DAP’s seats have around 40 per cent of Malay voters. And three out of four PAS seats have over 50 per cent Malay voters, and they are considered semi-rural constituencies.
When contacted, Johor PAS chief and Parit Yaani state assemblyperson Aminolhuda Hassan (right) refused to elaborate on how the Bill will give more power to the sultan, only saying it requires more discussion with Pakatan allies.
Meanwhile, PKR Bukit Batu state assemblyperson Jimmy Puah admitted that bloc voting will give the opportunity for BN and Umno media to "twist" their arguments.
According to media reports, DAP Mengkibol state assemblyperson Tan Hong Pin has been quoted saying that Johor Pakatan had agreed to go for bloc voting.
However, Tan clarified this matter when contacted by Malaysiakini today, saying that they “have not reach a consensus” on how to vote.
Johor state assemblyperson Mohamad Aziz told Malaysiakini that the Bill will be open to the floor for debate next Monday.
Puah agreed that Johor's constitution is very “unique” compared to the other states, in that it vests the ruler with executive authority, and he will not rock the boat on this issue.
Instead, he said he will stress the issue of enhancing the responsibility of checks and balances on the legislative side.
BN reps also cautious
Despite being the state government behind the Bill, BN representatives are also cautious in responding to this issue.
When contacted, Johor BN Backbenchers Club president Samsol Bari Jamil stopped short on whether he agrees with the Bill giving such power to the ruler.
Instead, the Semarang assemblyperson merely said he will agree with it as long as it is in accordance with the state constitution.
As the MCA representative in the Johor state administration, exco member Tee Siew Keong (left) also refused to elaborate further on the Bill, merely saying that it is up to the representatives from both sides to debate on it.
At the heart of the Bill is the question of the 3R - race, religion and royalty - regarded by conservative Malay groups as their unchallengeable fortress.
Although Pakatan has gained some ground in promoting multiracial politics and breaking through racial barriers, issues regarding religion and the rulers are still considered hot potato.
After last month’s hudud controversy, this Johor Bill is again testing Pakatan's political wisdom on how to move beyond race and religion to establish true ‘reformasi’.
With the normal voting by show of hands on a Bill in the state assembly, Pakatan state assemblypersons risk being seen to support the controversial Bill.
Should the opposition pact ask for bloc voting, it will risk being labelled as acts against the ruler.
The Bill, which will be tabled at the Johor assembly on Monday, willempower the Johor sultan to oversee the accounts of the mooted Johor Housing and Real Property Board.
Johor Opposition Leader Boo Cheng Hau (right) has stated that Pakatan has reached a consensus that the bill “puts too much burden” on the sultan, and has suggested the state assembly should be the one to bear the responsibility of checks and balances.However, Pakatan has only 18 seats in the state legislative hall and will not be able to stop BN from passing the Bill.
As such, it is a fine balance for Pakatan between a declaration of their position and to avoid being labelled as ‘anti-sultan’.
As normal procedure, the Bill is passed with the speaker asking for assemblypersons to vote by a show of hands.
However, for those who do not raise their hands, the speaker will say “for those who disagree, it has been agreed” (yang tidak setuju, dipersetujukan), which means that their official objection will not be recorded.
A Pakatan state assemblyperson who requested anonymity said they are concerned that the voting result recorded will state that they have agreed to the Bill, and it will be difficult for Pakatan to explain to their supporters.
Prickly situation for Pakatan
In order to avoid the above, Pakatan can ask for bloc voting, in which their stand against the Bill will be clearly stated.
However, the move may backfire and anger Malay voters in the rural areas who believe in and want to uphold the position of the Malay rulers.
It is foreseeable that Umno assemblypersons and the mainstream media they control may play up the issue and label Pakatan as ‘anti-royalty’.
In Johor, some DAP’s seats have around 40 per cent of Malay voters. And three out of four PAS seats have over 50 per cent Malay voters, and they are considered semi-rural constituencies.
When contacted, Johor PAS chief and Parit Yaani state assemblyperson Aminolhuda Hassan (right) refused to elaborate on how the Bill will give more power to the sultan, only saying it requires more discussion with Pakatan allies.Meanwhile, PKR Bukit Batu state assemblyperson Jimmy Puah admitted that bloc voting will give the opportunity for BN and Umno media to "twist" their arguments.
According to media reports, DAP Mengkibol state assemblyperson Tan Hong Pin has been quoted saying that Johor Pakatan had agreed to go for bloc voting.
However, Tan clarified this matter when contacted by Malaysiakini today, saying that they “have not reach a consensus” on how to vote.
Johor state assemblyperson Mohamad Aziz told Malaysiakini that the Bill will be open to the floor for debate next Monday.
Puah agreed that Johor's constitution is very “unique” compared to the other states, in that it vests the ruler with executive authority, and he will not rock the boat on this issue.
Instead, he said he will stress the issue of enhancing the responsibility of checks and balances on the legislative side.
BN reps also cautious
Despite being the state government behind the Bill, BN representatives are also cautious in responding to this issue.
When contacted, Johor BN Backbenchers Club president Samsol Bari Jamil stopped short on whether he agrees with the Bill giving such power to the ruler.
Instead, the Semarang assemblyperson merely said he will agree with it as long as it is in accordance with the state constitution.
As the MCA representative in the Johor state administration, exco member Tee Siew Keong (left) also refused to elaborate further on the Bill, merely saying that it is up to the representatives from both sides to debate on it.At the heart of the Bill is the question of the 3R - race, religion and royalty - regarded by conservative Malay groups as their unchallengeable fortress.
Although Pakatan has gained some ground in promoting multiracial politics and breaking through racial barriers, issues regarding religion and the rulers are still considered hot potato.
After last month’s hudud controversy, this Johor Bill is again testing Pakatan's political wisdom on how to move beyond race and religion to establish true ‘reformasi’.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.