A PAS lawmaker has outlined three options for Muhyiddin Yassin if the government's Budget 2021 is not passed in the Dewan Rakyat on Thursday.
Ahmad Fahdli Shaari (photo, above) said the first option is to seek the consent of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to dissolve Parliament, which could lead to a snap general election.
However, convincing the king to hold an election at this stage would be next to impossible, since the nation is in the throes of a Covid-19 third wave, which incidentally erupted after the snap state election in Sabah.
The second option, according to Ahmad Fadhli, would be for Muhyiddin, who was appointed as prime minister following a political coup in March, and his cabinet to resign en masse.
“Or the third unpopular option.
“Declare an emergency which is not viewed favourably by the public,” The Malaysian Insight quoted the Pasir Mas MP as stating during a Facebook live session on Budge 2021 last night.
Prior to the current Parliament session, Muhyiddin, who is coming under intense pressure from political rivals and allies, had petitioned the king last month to declare an emergency to suspend the Dewan Rakyat proceedings.
The monarch, after consulting the other Malay rulers, decided not to grant the request but at the same time advised all MPs to vote in favour of the budget.
'Difficult for Muhyiddin to secure majority support'
Initially, politicians from both sides of the divide agreed to heed the king's wishes but in recent days, it appears that the daggers have been unsheathed again.
Meanwhile, Ahmad Fadhli said it would be difficult for Muhyiddin to secure a majority support of the lawmakers for the budget if negotiations failed to yield positive results.
“I do not wish to make any predictions. It depends on how the government negotiates with the stakeholders.
“Based on my observation, I don't think it is impossible for this budget not to be passed, but I am praying that it would be passed.
“Although the budget was not passed in 1999, it can lead to constraints with regard to more independent spending,” he added.
Similarly, political analyst Prof Sivamurugan Pandian (above) told Astro Awani that what transpired in 1999 during Dr Mahathir Mohamad's first tenure as prime minister could recur.
“What happened in 1999, when the budget was tabled on Nov 11, 1999, was the announcement by the former prime minister that the dissolution would take place.
"That was the first time in the history of the parliamentary session to be dissolved, involving the budget that has been tabled was stopped until after the election results (were announced) (and) the budget was tabled again.
"Does this mean that the situation can recur? The situation can recur if the government still does not have the support and feels that it is the best step, rather than letting it be tabled for winding up and see no support," he said.
Sivamurugan also opined that Muhyiddin could advise the Agong to dissolve Parliament or appoint a new prime minister to ensure that the current government functions.
"Secondly, if there is no support, it will certainly be assumed by some parties as if it is a matter of confidence and trust in the leadership today - and maybe the prime minister will advise the Agong on whether to dissolve Parliament or appoint a new prime minister.
"This does not mean that the government falls. The government will still function and at the same time, the prime minister can deny that if it does not succeed in Parliament, it does not mean the government has no legitimacy.
"In fact, an emergency can be proposed, meaning the responsibility to get the attention of the agreement on this budget is transferred to the Agong. These are some of the things that can happen," Sivamurugan added. - Mkini
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