Speaker rejects Shafie's motion, says its 'unconstitutional'

Dewan Rakyat Speaker Mohamad Ariff Mohd Yusof has rejected Semporna MP Shafie Apdal's bid to table a motion of confidence for Langkawi MP Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

In a letter to Shafie, Mohamad Ariff (above) said the motion was in violation of Article 43 of the Federal Constitution. 

"I have scrutinised the motion put forward by YB and its reasoning.

"Based on the reasoning provided in the motion, I find it not to be in line with Article 43 of the Federal Constitution as it disputes the power of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong in appointing the prime minister.

"Therefore, I do not allow YB's motion to be brought into the sitting," he said in a letter sighted by Malaysiakini.

The letter, dated May 5, was addressed to Shafie in response to an earlier notice by the Warisan lawmaker to file the confidence motion.

When contacted, Mohamad Ariff confirmed to Malaysiakini that the letter was indeed from his office.

Shafie, in his notice, had maintained that the motion does not dispute the power of the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong.

Instead, he said the motion is intended to inform the people and ruler about who commands majority support in the House.

Following the rejection, Malaysiakini understands Mahathir has submitted a separate notice, this time a motion specifically for a no-confidence vote against Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

Ariff, when asked if he had made a decision on Mahathir's notice, said to wait.

"Wait for tomorrow. It will be answered in a press statement," he said.

Bersatu is presently split between Muhyiddin's faction and Mahathir's faction.

The Harapan government collapsed in late February after Muhyiddin took Bersatu out of the coalition and joined forces with a group of PKR defectors led by former PKR deputy president Azmin Ali.

Together with the opposition, they formed the new PN federal government.

Mahathir has indicated he plans to wrest back control of the party and government. - Mkini