No-confidence vote against PM Najib is democratic, Dr Mahathir tells Dewan Rakyat Speaker

© Provided by The Malaysian Insider Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has slammed the Dewan Rakyat Speaker for saying he would not allow for a no-confidence vote to be tabled. – The Malaysian Insider, September 29, 2015.

A vote of no-confidence against the prime minister is "totally democratic", Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad wrote, in response to the Dewan Rakyat Speaker who recently said that Parliament's Standing Orders did not allow for such a move.

Writing in his blog chedet.cc tonight, the former prime minister said that while Parliament may not have any provision for a no-confidence vote against the prime minister, the Federal Constitution clearly states that a prime minister should resign if he no longer commands the support of the majority of MPs.

"So, is the Speaker trying to ignore the Constitution?" Dr Mahathir asked, referring to news reports earlier this month that Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia had said he would not allow a motion of no-confidence to be tabled against the prime minister.

The Dewan Rakyat is set to reconvene next month and opposition lawmakers have been piling pressure on ruling Barisan Nasional MPs to support them in a vote of no-confidence against embattled Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who is under scrutiny over alleged financial scandals.

Pandikar had been reported as saying that Parliament's Standing Orders did not spell out how such a motion could be tabled, and that he had full discretion on whether to reject such a motion if it was raised.

The Speaker also said such a vote had never been taken before in Malaysia's Parliament.

Dr Mahathir tonight agreed, and said this was because none of Malaysia's past prime ministers "had RM2.6 billion in their personal accounts, nor have they been involved in financial scandals and the alleged murder of anyone".

He was referring to the political donation from a Middle Eastern donor that went to Najib's personal accounts, the state investment firm 1Malaysia Development Berhad, which has debts of RM42 billion, and the murder of Mongolian woman Altantuya Shaariibuu, whom Najib has denied ever knowing.

"But Najib is involved in all these," the retired statesman added.

He questioned if Pandikar was trying to ignore the Federal Constitution by saying he will not allow such a vote to be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat.

Dr Mahathir added that Malaysia is now in the international spotlight, with foreigners and the foreign media asking what is happening to the country.

"You feel ashamed, but you can do nothing about it.

"The people who can do something are totally without shame. They openly admit to having received money by the millions from the prime minister. This is corruption at its worst.

"They support the PM because he gave them money, money which he cannot explain with any credibility that he obtained legally."

The country's longest-serving prime minister said it was no wonder that Malaysia was now "listed as among the top corrupt countries of the world" and even "government supporters did not respect the Constitution".

"No vote of non-confidence because the speaker will not allow it," he said.