Apandi disregarding Agong’s call to Ismail Sabri to test confidence in Parliament – Kula

DAP MP for Ipoh Barat, M. Kula Segaran

PETALING JAYA, Aug 24 – Former Attorney General Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali is blatantly disregarding the
Agong’s call that the new Prime Minister must secure a vote of confidence in Parliament, after he is sworn in, says DAP Member Parliament for Ipoh Barat, M. Kula Segaran.

In a statement today, the MP said that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, decreed that the newly appointed Prime Minister must quickly table a vote of confidence in Parliament to prove his legitimacy of majority support among Dewan Rakyat members.

His Majesty Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah said this needs to be done in accordance with Articles 40(2) and 43(2)(a) of the Federal Constitution.

Today Apandi has opposed that thought by saying the constitution does not require such a move, Kula said.

“Yet Apandi forgets that both former Prime Ministers Tun Hussein Onn and Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who upon taking the reins from the sitting Prime Minister, tested their support in parliament within 11 days and three days, respectively.

“The Agong after all wants a stable and formidable government to address the nation’s woes, especially since the poor handling of the Covid19 Pandemic under Muhyiddin’s leadership.

“As there is precedence to the matter in our country and in other countries under the democratic parliamentary system of government (Westminster system), Apandi should retract his poor reasoning and stop trying to protect the already fragile government led by (Prime Minister) Ismail.”

Meanwhile, the pressure has been mounting for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob to take a vote of confidence in the Parliament to stamp the majority he has.

Dewan Negara President Tun Rais Yattim was reported saying in Utusan Malaysia today that Ismail Sabri should take the vote of confidence as soon as possible so that his leadership will not be questioned.

In a previous report, Malay Mail quoted PKR strategy director Sim Tze Tzin saying that putting up a motion for vote of confidence was an existing convention in Parliament for new prime ministers that come in mid-term.

Sim said this was not in the Federal Constitution, but was a convention that was carried out by previous prime ministers Tun Hussein Onn and Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

“Muhyiddin didn’t do that, whereas Tun Hussein Onn did that, Badawi did that, it’s a convention that the PM must go back to the lower house to establish majority,” Sim who is also Bayan Baru MP told the Malay Mail.

He said that Prime Ministers elected following a party’s win at the elections via votes cast by the people need not go through a confidence vote in the Parliament.

–WE