Some politicians attempting to use reform bills as bargaining chips - MP

 

The drafting of reform bills, such as the anti-hopping law, was delayed because certain politicians tried using them as bargaining chips, said Lembah Pantai MP Fahmi Fadzil.

Fahmi, who sits in a bi-partisan committee that oversees the implementation of systemic reforms as agreed between Pakatan Harapan and Ismail Sabri Yaakob government, described the action as akin to toying with Malaysian democracy.

“The anti-hopping law, it has become like a proxy war. These people were fighting over something else, but they used (the bill) as their tool.

“They are not actually fighting over the details of the law, the principles, but it becomes an excuse.

“Maybe to some of them, it is a bargaining chip. But to me, we should not put Malaysian democracy in such a position,” he said.

Fahmi said that Malaysian democracy should not be anyone’s bargaining chip.

“Malaysian democracy belongs to the people. So why should you play with something that belongs to the people?” he said.

Fahmi, who is also the PKR information chief, spoke to the media at the side of a forum organised by Bersih and Bar Council in Petaling Jaya. He was one of the forum’s panel speakers in a session that discussed the need to limit the prime minister’s tenure to 10 years.

The MP had earlier shared in the forum a bit of his experience sitting in the bi-partisan committee, where he said discussions had been “very tensed” between representatives of the ruling parties.

“We have had many meetings, with Redzuan (Md Yusof) representing Bersatu. It’s very tense, not between the government and Harapan, but on the government side.

“It was interesting, but I won’t air dirty laundry here,” he said.

Fahmi mentioned Redzuan’s name as the Alor Gajah MP from Bersatu was supposed to be part of the panel speakers but did not turn up this morning.

When queried by journalists outside, Fahmi was not keen to reveal much about the political actors involved in the “fighting” but hinted that it has to do with the current political turmoil within the ruling coalition.

Limiting PM’s tenure

The Ismail Sabri administration reached a reform deal with Harapan in September last year, dubbed the Memorandum of Understanding on Transformation and Political Stability, with the main aim of restoring political stability after yet another change in government.

The deal includes a promise to table a slew of law reform, including the anti-hopping law, and amending the Federal Constitution to limit a prime minister’s tenure to 10 years.

However, the plan to table the anti-hopping bill in Parliament had been postponed several times. The latest goal is to table it in the upcoming Dewan Rakyat session starting July 18.

Meanwhile, during the forum, Fahmi and another panel speaker, DAP’s Kluang MP Wong Shu Qi, discussed the importance of having a cap on the tenure of a prime minister.

Wong said allowing a prime minister to serve in the position for a long time can make the individual have “too much and overreaching powers”.

“Our PM somehow becomes so powerful, a lot of people want to become PM. He has a say in almost everything.

“Even if the PM is popular and well-liked, catering to all the rakyat’s needs, there is no human being as perfect as God and no matter how liked the person is, they are never better,” she said. - Mkini