Sara Petra gives prof a lecture on politics and English

Stop teaching young people the wrong, says RPK's daughter, to Prof Awang Azman in explaining how a PM is chosen, and about the meaning of the word 'right'.

PETALING JAYA: A university professor has been given a lecture on the constitutional process by which a prime minister is chosen, as well as an explanation of the meaning of the word ‘right’.

Political commentator Raja Sara Petra accused Associate Professor Awang Azman Awang Pawi of the University of Malaya of having twisted what she had earlier said, that Malaysians had no right to complain about the country if they did not bother to vote.

In an emailed letter to FMT, she also took issue with Prof Awang Azman’s remark that Umno decided who would be prime minister.

She pointed out that it was the MPs in the Dewan Rakyat who had the power to decide, and urged the professor to “stop teaching young people the wrong thing”.

Sara Petra, daughter of controversial blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin, said nothing in the constitution would prevent PKR president Wan Azizah Wan Ismail from being chosen as prime minister if MPs took a vote of no confidence in Najib Razak.

She also questioned Awang Azman’s grasp of English when he had stated that the right to complain was a basic human right protected under the constitution.

“Maybe the professor does not comprehend the various ways ‘right’ can be applied in the English language. ‘Right’ in the English language, depending on its application and in the context in which it is used, can also mean morally correct, just, or honourable.

“For example, if I were to say, “She has every right to be angry considering what her husband did,” that has nothing to do with ‘human rights’, ‘freedom of speech’ or ‘the right of expression’ as the professor argued.”

She pointedly added: “If I say you have no right to twist what I said, I am not talking about rights as in Article 10 of the Federal Constitution of Malaysia.”

On how a PM is chosen, Sara said the professor had been “actually misleading and not quite accurate” in saying that Malaysian citizens had no say and that it was up to Umno division leaders and supreme council members.

Sara said anyone holding the confidence of a majority of MPs would be appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong as prime minister. Najib Razak became PM as chairman of the Barisan Nasional, as part of the ‘partnership agreement’ when Barisan Nasional was formed in 1973.

She pointed out that Umno only commanded 88 of the 222 seats in the current Dewan Rakyat, or 39.6 per cent, while it was the BN which won 133 seats or 59.9 per cent.

“Professor Awang Azman should explain this and not say that Umno chooses the Prime Minister. Umno just chooses its party president. The party or coalition that won the most number of seats in Parliament chooses the Prime Minister,” she said.

There was nothing in the constitution to prevent PKR president Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (who is leader of the opposition in the Dewan Rakyat) from becoming PM if 122 MPs adopted a vote of no confidence in Najib.

“And is this not what Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has been trying to do since October last year?,” Sara said. “Mahathir wants Najib ousted through a vote of no confidence in Parliament so that he can be replaced. And last week in London Mahathir said he wants Muhyiddin, a non-Umno leader and an opposition member, to replace Najib. So this would mean the Umno President cum Barisan Nasional Chairman would no longer be the Prime Minister.”

RELATED: