'Wake up call' for Perikatan Nasional

Ridauddin Daud
July 13, 2020 16:42 MYT

The wafer-thin majority also gives an indication that there will be difficulties in the government led by the Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddn Yassin if he is not able to form a harmonious political cooperation with the Opposition. - BERNAMApic

With a thin margin of only two votes in the motion to replace the Dewan Rakyat speaker, political analyst from Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM), Mujibu Abd Muis considers it a 'wake-up call' for the Perikatan Nasional.

According to him, the wafer-thin majority also gives an indication that there will be difficulties in the government led by the Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddn Yassin if he is not able to form a harmonious political cooperation with the Opposition.

“This would indicate that there will be difficulties if the government of Tan Sri Muhyiddin is not able to form a political cooperation, harmony and consensus in this coalition for the foreseeable future.

"This is because there are a lot more (battles to come). We see this in such a small context, just a change in the Speaker. What about the Budget, COVID-19 law and supplies bill,” he said in Buletin AWANI Khas here on Monday.

Political analyst from Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), Prof Dr Mohd Azizuddin Mohd Sani concurred with Mujibu.

According to him, as prime minister, Muhyiddin should consider the best strategies to attract additional support and if the voting pattern were taken into consideration, Mohd Azizuddin said the position of the Pagoh MP was still unstable.

"The very thin majority is causing concern. This is just the motion on the Speaker, how about other motions, will the same voting pattern happen again.

"In this context, I think this is Malaysian politics currently and if there are a few problems in the government, maybe the form of voting will change," he said in the same program.

The Dewan Rakyat on Monday passed a motion for Tan Sri Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof to vacate the seat of Speaker with a difference of only two votes.

The motion was passed after a block voting was held with 111 MPs supporting it while 109 rejected.

It was announced by the Deputy Speaker, Datuk Rashid Hasnon who chaired the meeting.

In winding up the motion, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law), Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan admitted that the motion was the first in the history of Parliament.

However, he stressed that it can be done and not contrary to the Federal Constitution.

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