Will PM be given a chance to address Umno AGM, PKR MP asks

An opposition lawmaker has questioned whether Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob will be given a chance to address the Umno general assembly tomorrow.

If he does, Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Karim ponders whether the Umno vice-president will stand up for himself.

This is amid pressure Ismail is facing from Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's camp to dissolve Parliament soon.

"If (Ismail) is given a chance to speak, then we shall see whether Ismail has the spine of steel to emerge as a prime minister with integrity, or whether he is a regular third-class leader," Hassan said in a statement tonight.

Hassan argued that as prime minister, it is Ismail's prerogative whether or not to dissolve Parliament, and that he need not bow to pressure from Zahid.

He lauded Ismail as reportedly having a clean record, and for respecting judicial independence and separation of powers.

Capitalise on momentum

"But if Ismail bows and cedes to Zahid and the court cluster, then gone is the future of one of the few Umno leaders who appeared to be clean and accepted by the people of Malaysia," the PKR MP said.

Umno's proponents of snap general election argue that the party should capitalise on the momentum they have built from the Johor and Malacca state elections which they won supermajorities in despite winning less than 50 percent of the popular vote.

However, Ismail appears to be resisting such pressure, arguing that dissolving Parliament was the King's authority.

It should be noted that while Article 55 of the Federal Constitution empowers the Agong to summon and dissolve Parliament, the king is also constitutionally bound to act on the advice of the government.

Therefore, asking for Parliament to be dissolved early is the government's prerogative, just as how the Constitution provides for a prime minister who has lost majority support to ask for Parliament to be dissolved early.

However, experts opine that the Agong does have the prerogative to reject the early dissolution of Parliament. - Mkini