Harapan proposes Agong verify if PM Parliament delay supported by majority MPs

 

The Pakatan Harapan's committee for laws has proposed that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong verify if Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin's refusal to convene Parliament immediately is supported by a majority of MPs.

"We urge the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, in the exercise of his discretionary powers under Article 43 of the Federal Constitution, to verify if the recalcitrance and defiance exhibited by the prime minister are in fact supported by a majority of MPs.

"In the event it is found not to be supported by a majority of the Dewan Rakyat, it is a clear demonstration that the prime minister no longer enjoys the confidence of the majority and the Yang di-Pertuan Agong should proceed to exercise his discretionary powers to demand the resignation of the prime minister," it said in a statement today.

The committee comprises MPs William Leong Jee Keen (PKR-Selayang), Mohamed Hanipa Maidin (Amanah-Sepang), Ramkarpal Singh (DAP-Bukit Gelugor), and R Sivarasa (PKR-Sungai Buloh), state assemblyperson Faiz Fadzil (Amanah-Permatang Pasir), as well as Fadhlina Sidek (PKR women legal and community development bureau) and Zulqarnain Lukman (Amanah legal bureau).

The committee said the government's position was in defiance of the king's call for Parliament to reconvene as soon as possible.

The Agong in February also said Parliament can convene during the emergency, which began on Jan 12 and will expire in August, but this was ignored by the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government.

"The prime minister and cabinet are accountable and subject to scrutiny by the representatives of the electorate.

"The executive is required to report, explain, and defend its actions in Parliament and citizens are protected from the arbitrary exercise of executive power in this manner.

"The longer Parliament is suspended, the greater the risk that a responsible government may be replaced by an unaccountable government," the committee said.

It added that the Agong is part of the parliamentary institution and is bound to protect the role of Parliament.

The government insisted on a September or October timeline to reconvene Parliament.

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said the government needed time to look at the legal aspects of reconvening Parliament.

All 220 MPs have already been vaccinated for Covid-19. - Mkini