‘Gov’t nod not needed for tabling emergency motions’

Batu Sapi MP Liew Vui Keong’s emergency motion calling for an eight-day parliamentary sitting does not need government approval to be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat, opined Selangor assembly speaker Ng Suee Lim.

He said the motion can be tabled so long as his Dewan Rakyat counterpart Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof rules that it meets the three criteria for an emergency motion under Standing Order 18.

The three criteria are that the matter be definite, urgent, and of public importance.

This is in contrast to Langkawi MP Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, where government matters would take precedence over the motion although it has been accepted for debate.

Given that the coming parliamentary sitting is only scheduled for one day, it is likely that there is not enough time to debate the no-confidence motion.

“Basically, the speaker has absolute power to decide. If the speaker rules that it is in line with the Standing Order’s requirements, then the emergency motion can be debated. That is the normal procedure.

“Ariff has accepted Liew’s motion on this basis, so Parliament will debate this emergency motion,” Ng (below), who is a DAP leader, told Malaysiakini yesterday.

The key question now is whether MPs would vote in favour of the motion or not, he said, since it would need to be passed by a simple majority.

Separation of powers

If parliament approves the motion, then there may be time to debate and even vote on Mahathir’s no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, he said.

“The key thing is that under the doctrine of separation of powers, the speaker has a lot of power on this.

“If both sides (the government and the speaker) cooperates or have some tacit understanding, then that’s another matter.

“If the emergency motion is passed and Parliament extends its sitting, Mahathir would have the opportunity to make a breakthrough,” he said.

Previously, the Dewan Rakyat secretary Riduan Rahmat announced that Parliament will sit for only one day in the coming session, citing concerns over Covid-19.

The sitting would discuss government bills and business, and there would be no oral question sessions, written questions, motions, and special chambers, he said.

Muhyiddin replaced Mahathir as prime minister after a series of political manoeuvrings in March, which resulted in a new ruling coalition which included then opposition parties, Umno and PAS. - Mkini