State speaker greenlights 'confidence motion' on Perak MB

 

Perak Menteri Besar Ahmad Faizal Azumu is set to face a confidence test in the state assembly.

Perak speaker Mohamad Zahir Abdul Khalid told Malaysiakini that a "confidence motion" will be debated at the upcoming state assembly sitting which begins next Friday.

"Yes," he told Malaysiakini when asked if the motion would be debated, adding that he would hold a press conference on Monday.

He stressed that it was a confidence motion, and not a no-confidence vote.

The confidence motion was submitted by Umno's Pengkalan Baharu assemblyperson Abdul Manaf Hashim.

Even though the motion is framed as an expression of confidence for Ahmad Faizal, it is no different from a no-confidence vote as both entail assemblypersons voting in support for or against the menteri besar thereby testing his support in the House.

Similar efforts have been made at the federal level to test the support of Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

But the Dewan Rakyat speaker Azhar Azizan Harun has refused to allow any private member's motion - whether framed as a confidence or no-confidence vote - to go to the floor.

However, in Perak, Mohamad Zahir, who is from BN, has said there was no reason to reject a confidence motion as it is not against the legislature's Standing Orders.

This had led to speculation among political circles in Perak that efforts are afoot by Umno to oust Ahmad Faizal who became menteri besar even though his party Bersatu has significantly fewer seats than Umno.

BN forms the largest bloc in the Perak assembly with 25 seats while Bersatu has six seats and PAS three.

There are also two independents who back the Perikatan Nasional state government.

The opposition consists of DAP (16 seats), Amanah (5) and PKR (3).

Umno leaders including the state chief Saarani Mohamad, when contacted, were tight-lipped on the upcoming vote of confidence.

"Please ask the speaker," Saarani said when contacted.

In a letter to the speaker dated Nov 18, Abdul Manaf stated that Ahmad Faizal has enough support from the majority of the assemblypersons so he, therefore, applied for a motion of confidence, reported Sinar Harian. - Mkini