Zahid, Najib absent from Sosma vote yesterday

 

Umno is trying to turn the government's failure to pass a bill on the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (Sosma) against Pakatan Harapan, claiming the latter had violated its deal with Putrajaya.

However, opposition MPs are hitting back by pointing out that key Umno leaders Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (above) and Najib Abdul Razak were both absent from the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.

Lembah Pantai MP Fahmi Fadzil said Umno secretary-general Ahmad Maslan was also absent from the vote.

Meanwhile, Umno's Communication and Multimedia Minister Annuar Musa was disqualified from voting after entering the Dewan Rakyat late.

The bill to extend detention without trial under Sosma was defeated 84-86. Zahid, Najib, Ahmad, and Annuar could have easily bridged that gap.

Zahid, Ahmad, and Annuar are all playing up the narrative that Harapan violated the memorandum of understanding (MOU).

This is despite the MOU only requiring Harapan support or abstaining on budget bills, votes of confidence, or bills that have been brought into consultation with the opposition coalition.

The MOU also allowed Harapan to continue carrying out its functions.

Asked whether Umno could have possibly sabotaged yesterday's vote, Fahmi told Malaysiakini that it was "highly irregular" that 31 government MPs were missing yesterday.

"I don't know whether they will try to sabotage today's vote as well on Federal Constitution amendments," the PKR lawmaker added.

Why so many MPs absent?

Meanwhile, Amanah deputy president Salahuddin Ayub said yesterday's bill failure was squarely the government's fault.

"Why weren't instructions given for government MPs to stick around and vote?

"Sabotage or not, this showed the government's weakness. Why were so many MPs absent?" he told Malaysiakini.

Salahuddin, who was also on the MOU steering committee, stressed that Harapan was just doing their job and that their stance against detention without trial is consistent.

He added that the Sosma bill was not brought to discussion with Harapan and that they would only compromise if the act was amended. - Mkini