Media Comment by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang on Saturday, September 4, 2021
Is Ismail Sabri going to disregard the decree of the Yang di Pertuan Agong in one of his first acts in Parliament on Sept. 14?
The Attorney-General Idris Harun should not stray into the political minefield but should keep strictly to his role as legal adviser of the government
His statements that a vote of confidence is not necessary as the Yang di Pertuan gong had already appointed Ismail Sabri as Prime Minister and that a vote of confidence would undermine the Yang di Pertuan Agong’s power are all politics and no law.
Nobody doubts that the Yang di Pertuan Agong’s appointment of Ismail Sabri as the ninth Prime Minister is fully in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.
Is Ismail Sabri afraid that his majority of 114 MPs has disappeared in less than a month and that he could not get a majority of at least 111 Members of Parliament to vote in support of a vote of confidence in him as Prime Minister when Parliament meets on Sept. 14?
Let me remind the Prime Minister and the Attorney-General of the decree of the yang di Pertuan Agong in the statement of Istana Negara of August 18, 2021, which states:
“Seri Paduka Baginda turut menegaskah bahawa Perdana Menteri yang telah dilantik oleh Baginda menurut 40(2)(a) dan 43(2)(a) Perlembagaan Persekutuan hendaklah secepat mungkin mengemukakan usul undi percaya di Dewan Rakyat untuk mengabsahkan beliau mendapat kepercayaan majority ahli Dewan Rakyat.”
With such a royal decree, the Attorney-General’s contention that “If the appointment of a new prime minister still needs legitimacy from anyone besides His Majesty, this means His Majesty’s sole discretion can be overruled by others” collapses.
The question now is whether Ismail Sabri going to disregard the decree of the Yang di Pertuan Agong in one of his first acts as the ninth Prime Minister of Malaysia when Parliament meets on Sept. 14?
It should be noted that both the third Prime Minister, Hussein Onn, and the fifth Prime Minister, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi sought a vote of confidence from the majority of MPs in their first acts in Parliament.
Why is Ismail Sabri afraid to prove that he has the confidence of the majority of MPs when Parliament meets on September 14, 2021?
