YOURSAY | Flurry of letters indicates Agong was sceptical

 

YOURSAY | ‘We shall know the conclusion soon enough…’

Palace writes to speaker requesting for PM's number of support

Have you read Aug 9 letter copied to us, Azalina asks Rashid

Vijay47: There seems to be a flurry of letters floating around the vicinity of Parliament; these are apparently with regard to the support Muhyiddin Yassin enjoys.

What clouds the issue is that there also seem to be contrary letters referring to either a denial of any such confidence or a withdrawal of support previously given.

Aye or nay, these letters would supposedly resolve the constitutional question of whether “in the Agong’s judgement a person is likely to command the confidence of the majority”, which any member must have to validate his claim to premiership.

The Constitution seems to make no mention of how this confidence is to be determined – who or how will the belling of the cat be achieved?

My little understanding of parliamentary procedure is that such confidence is traditionally measured on the floor of the House itself. However, we would recall that Muhyiddin’s very ascension to the post of prime minister was not established in this manner; it was through individual personal attendance before the king.

His Majesty has now purportedly ordered the House speaker to inform as to the number of MPs who support Muhyiddin. “Commanded on the 9th, to be replied by 2pm of the 10th” is a picture that paints a thousand stern words. We shall know the conclusion soon enough; a weary nation can then find rest.

But in the meantime, like the love-struck English poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning said, let me count the ways.

First, we had de facto Law Minister Takiyuddin Hassan and attorney-general Idrus Harun – yes, the one and only Idrus, brother of you-know-who – cooling sitting before the Agong and assuring him that the emergency and related ordinances will be tabled forthwith in Parliament.

Lo and behold, it is then announced that the emergency had been annulled even before the duo met His Majesty!

Understandably, the king was somewhat peeved by this and voiced his displeasure about being “misled” by Takiyuddin and partner.

Lo and behold again, up jumps Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin! To everyone’s amazement, she lectures the Agong on the proper protocol to follow when making statements, public or otherwise.

Now we have deputy speaker Rashid Hasnon informing us that he was unaware of any royal letter being sent to the speaker regarding the support Muhyiddin enjoyed. He seems unmindful of the fact that the same letter had also been sent to him and the other deputy speaker, who made no bones about receiving it.

Letter from the Agong? Who knows! Must be lying somewhere on my table – hey, I’m a busy man!

Sabri: By writing to speaker Azhar Azizan Harun, His Majesty Yang di-Pertuan Agong will have the actual position on whether Muhyiddin has the numbers to remain in position, or to ask the speaker to call for an earlier date for the votes to be counted.

The speaker should realise that with the letters from Umno and the opposition, His Majesty can easily do the maths. Keeping this nation waiting as well as trying to manipulate the numbers are not going to go down well with the voters in the future.

The people are not only angry as the way the Covid-19 crisis is being handled but humiliating the royalty will also do more damage to the Perikatan Nasional (PN) administration.

The earlier this episode can be brought to a close and a new administration formed, it will be better for the nation and its people.

GanMU: Why are the prime minister, the cabinet and the speaker hiding things and being so secretive?

The king is following the Constitution. He and the rulers had agreed that the emergency should not be extended after Aug 1.

Muhyiddin was directed to convene a sitting to table and vote on the emergency ordinances (EOs), but he did not comply. Instead, the cabinet "revoked" the EOs prior to Parliament sitting. Till today, it appears that the emergency has been automatically extended, although no one is talking about it.

What is pertinent is having known through press releases by all the opposition parties, including Umno, that they are not supporting him, Muhyiddin is morally obliged to act in a decent and a gentlemanly manner to convene Parliament sitting immediately to determine his majority.

The letters presented to the king are solid proof that he does not have the majority support. So why is Muhyiddin dragging his feet as if nothing happened and seeks to deliberately fix the date to Sept 7?

What is he up to? Does he think he is above the law, or does he not believe in the numbers, or he wants more time to "buy" over at least a dozen MPs?

Scarletpanda9731: Who is speaking the truth, who is speaking half-truth, who is speaking a quarter-truth? And who is lying? The people wish to know.

This shadow play cannot go on. People, millions of them, are suffering. Companies have either died or are dying. Workers are being laid off. Without jobs, they have no money to pay for food, rent, utilities bills and mortgages of their houses.

It is a shame on the government for its dismal failures. Banks, too, will suffer losses; and some may have to close shop, as what happened in the US when sub-prime housing loans went sour.

Depression is staring in our faces while politicians are more interested in preserving their positions. It is a shame that they also have no respect for the king. Now, things are coming to a boiling point and any time an explosion could occur.

What will the rest of the world say? Will investors dare or care to step onto our shores? We are coming into a sorry and sad state.

Greed and lust for power have numbed their hearts. Self-interests have taken root. They have forgotten their oath to preserve, protect and defend our constitutional monarchy, and to respect the voters’ mandate. Have some dignity, please! - Mkini