May 11-18: Busiest political week in Malaysian history

Parliament will only sit a day on May 18 but like Guy Fawkes, Mahathir is determined to colour that one day dynamite. May 18 may be full of fireworks or it may turn out to be just a damp squib … we wait and see. However the week leading up to D-Day is gonna be real busy, heh heh heh.

First, the two-timing two-time ex-premier threw a curveball to ‘No Confidence’ Muhyiddin. Then two days ago, the Dewan Rakyat speaker approved Mahathir’s bid to launch his motion against Muhyiddin.

Malaysia deserves an entry in the World Record of Weird for our spilt personality Parti Pribumi Berdua. The party president Muhyiddin is the country’s sitting prime minister and his party chairman Mahathir wants to oust this PM.

Issh …

So what’s next?

Pribumi – the prime minister’s own party – is at the front of the government bench. Ding … Mahathir’s intended ‘No Confidence’ places him personally on the opposition bench.

On Thursday, Pribumi info chief Radzi Jidin warned that any member who violated the party’s stand (or MP bloc seating on the government side of the House) will be booted out. Going by Radzi’s warning, Atok logically ought to be sacked and taking his boboi and ‘cucu’ the Muar MP along with him.

But even if Mahathir is expelled from Pribumi, he remains YB Langkawi and can be present in the Dewan as an independent parliamentarian. On May 18 therefore he could technically table his ‘No Confidence’ motion, following which there might be a debate on it. As a matter of process, the speaker could call for a vote by the MPs present at the end of the debate.

Were Muhyiddin to lose the vote by a simple majority of the MPs present, he will need to resign as PM.

A house of cards

Both Perikatan and Harapan are really only loose coalitions.

Anything can happen. Out of the full deck of 222 MPs, one or two might possibly be absent from the May 18 sitting — who knows, car got flat tyre perhaps hahaha or maybe delayed at roadblock huhuhu. And out of the MPs marked present on the day, one or two might also choose to abstain from voting.

The numbers between Perikatan and Pakatan Harapan are perilously close and they keep blurring.

Now, for example, we’re told that YB Baru Bian of Sarawak is an independent, thus leaving his former party PKR with 39 MPs.

Mahathir’s running dogs the DAP have 42 MPs – biggest party in parliament – but as the 95 percent Chinese voters should have realized, their cowed chihuahuas are all bark and no bite.

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ABOVE: Islamist Maszlee is even shorter than evangelist shorty Hannah Yeoh

The ‘Napoleon Complex’ is a syndrome that afflicts short guys. Maszlee Malik is one vertically challenged dude but this Pribumi MP for Simpang Renggam has the potential to be kingmaker.

Maszlee was earlier head-counted in the Mahathir camp and very recently offered the chairmanship of Mara Corp’s advisory board, a post that he has for the moment turned down. Err, ought Muhyiddin to consider offering him a taller GLC position?

Although the MCO has been relaxed somewhat, we the ordinary rakyat are still being restricted in our movement this sluggish week. Shopping trips, however, seem a tad easier for the busy VIPs.

Two M showdown that could go three ways

The fight is on between habitual PM slayer Mahathir and Muhyiddin. If the motion of No Confidence fails to be debated on May 18, it could still be deferred to the next parliament sitting, whenever that is. Nonetheless, such a delay would be an anticlimax.

Alternatively should the No Confidence motion be put to the vote in the House, some possible outcomes are:

(1) Mahathir carries the motion. Perikatan gomen has to stand down.

(2) Muhyiddin defeats motion. Business as usual.

(3) Muhyiddin seeks royal consent to dissolve parliament. Snap poll for GE15.

BELOW: Cat’s reaction to the three options … you last saw her posing for the Greta Thunberg death stare (check out more catty photo shoots ↓ )

• (1) Cats’ reaction to the bullying of Health Minister — click HERE

• (2) Cats’ reaction to coronavirus lockdown — click HERE

• (3) Cats’ reaction to Sheraton Move — click HERE

-helenang