Tag: political defection

Let us face it. Anwar Ibrahim got his bluff called. Rather than facing the fact and wait for elections for it, he continues to offer false hope and put the blame of the non-event of September 16 — or delay as he calls it — on the refusal of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to hand power over to him.^[1]

Seriously, would anybody actually believe in what the Member of Parliament for Permatang Pauh said about the business-as-usual September 16? Would anybody believe Barisan Nasional would simply hand over power to Pakatan Rakyat just like that? What right does PR have to force the PM to meet Anwar Ibrahim?

Anwar Ibrahim also stated that the BN-controlled House refused to grant PR’s request for an emergency session for a vote of no confidence against the PM. Yet know that we do not really need an emergency session for that. PR could demonstrate its alleged majority power in the House by overturning any bill coming from the BN side.

PR also had the option of convincing the Agong that they have the majority in the House.

Yet, none of that happen. Why has that yet to happen?

These failures are all PR’s.

I was looking forward for a new federal government on September 16 and I was disappointed when it did not materialize. After failing to make good of his self-imposed deadline, he is now looking to enter Putrajaya before December 8, the expected day of Eid al-Adha.^[2]

But as Parti Keadilan Rakyat holds its annual congress in late November, enters December.

The tone of the congress says little of the possibility of forming a new federal government in the near future, preferring to steer away from the subject by focusing on other matters, like the state of the economy.^[3] Or the upcoming state election of Sarawak.^[4]

At least, that is a step in the right direction. Just face it that the defection plan was a bluff, accept responsibility associated with it and move on.

Personal responsibility demands for an individual to own up to his failure. Anwar Ibrahim, by blaming others, is running away from his. That will only hurt his and PR’s credibility further to reduce the gap — which are in PR’s favor at the moment — between the two sides.

^[1] — SHAH ALAM, Nov 30 — De facto PKR leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim yesterday blamed Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi for his failure to topple the government by Sept 16, saying that the takeover now must start with the party’s victory in the Sarawak state election, scheduled to be held by 2011.

“We set a target, so together with Datuk Seri Hadi Awang and Lim Kit Siang we sent a letter to the Prime Minister requesting a meeting, but he refused,” said Anwar to some 5,000 supporters at a ceramah last night as part of the PKR national congress.

“We then asked for an emergency session of Parliament, they refused,” the Opposition Leader said of his attempt two months ago to table a motion of no confidence against the government. [September 16: Anwar blames PM. Adib Zalkapli. Shannon Teoh. The Malaysian Insider. November 30 2008]

^[2] — Kuala Lumpur, Oct 12 – Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has given a new date by which he claims he would be able to take over the government.

He said he had enough defectors from the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition to form a new administration possibly before Hari Raya Haji on Dec 8, the mass-selling newspaper Berita Harian yesterday quoted him as saying.

He gave the new deadline in a speech in Kelantan late on Friday. He had missed taking over the government by his self-imposed deadline of Sept 16. [Anwar sets Dec 8 as new deadline to topple govt. Singapore Straits Times via The Malaysian Insider. October 12 2008]

^[3] — KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 28 — As Parti Keadilan Rakyat’s (PKR) annual congress convenes tomorrow, it is now hoping to ride the wave of dissatisfaction in a softening economy to recapture the post March 8 momentum which drove them to believe they were on the verge of toppling the Barisan Nasional (BN). [PKR seeks silver lining in economic cloud . Adib Zalkapli. The Malaysian Insider. October 12 2008]

^[4] — SHAH ALAM, Nov 29 Has Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) shifted its focus from capturing and forming a Pakatan Rakyat-led federal government, to capturing the largest state in the country- Sarawak?

The mood of certain party leaders and some delegates attending the party’s annual national congress here seems to be heading towards this direction. However, the PKR top leadership maintains there is no shift of plan,except some adjustments, due to the fact that the Sarawak state election was likely to be held soon.

“The plan (to Putrajaya) is still on track. Only now we have some more focus on Sarawak due to the request from our grassroots there. Certainly, we will make some adjustments.

“The other thing is that we expect the Sarawak State Assembly to be dissolved by the second quarter of next year. So, it is just six months before the state election, that’s why we are focusing on this,” said PKR vice-president Azmin Ali. [Is PKR shifting focus to capturing Sarawak?. Bernama via The Malaysian Insider. November 29 2008]

Far too many people are debating the morality of the political defection as advocated by the Pakatan Rakyat. Relentless debates have made the matter clear. The question of who is standing on which side is also easily answerable. The less talked about however is the process that entails the political defection.

How exactly power would change after defection has not been answered in a satisfactorily manner.

That changed today with an article by Malik Imtiaz Sarwar.

He lays six points which need consideration.

First is the requirement for the Prime Minister to command the majority confidence of the Dewan Rakyat.

Second is the two options which the “Prime Minister who no longer commands the confidence of the majority” has: a fresh election or resignation.

Thirdly is the way, or really the lack of rule or precedent, in gauging how much confidence the Prime Minister commands. A vote of confidence is not the only option and the government could resort to filibustering. Also noted is the power of the Agong in resolving the crisis of confidence.

The fourth addresses a situation where the Agong demands a vote of confidence and the responsibility of the Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat to execute the demand.

The fifth point relates to a situation where there is a need to call for a vote but yet, the Parliament is not in session or in sitting. How the Parliament is to be summoned is the central problem, especially so when while the Agong can demand it, the summoning itself is dependent on the advice of the Prime Minister. Without the advice, there can be no sitting and hence, no voting. Malik Imtiaz Sarwar however questions this and opines that the Agong’s responsibility is to ensure that the Prime Minister is he whom commands the confidence of the House while the Speaker is answerable to the Agong.

Sixth is the possibility of the Agong skipping the whole process of voting and simply appoint a new Prime Minister which commands the confidence of the majority.

He ends his thought by, I think, referring to a case which I have pointed out earlier.

On my end, while I am supportive of the defection, I demand that it follows the process which has been laid out. I personally believe that the process is reasonable and rights of those affected by the process must be respected. Adherence to the process is essential if we are sincerely interested in orderly transfer of power.