FORMER aide to ex-premier Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Datuk Dr Marzuki Mohamad, has chided DAP’s Kampar MP Chong Zhemin for urging Barisan Nasional (BN) to take disciplinary action against all its 10 MPs who had earlier supported the appointment of Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as Prime Minister (PM).
The former senior private secretary to the Bersatu president nevertheless said he is uncertain if the BN constitution allows for disciplinary action to be taken against component party members because each component party has its own disciplinary procedures.
“Anyone who is knowledgeable about the BN Constitution can comment,” he penned in a recent Facebook post.
“Whatever it is, the call of the Kampar MP reflects the attitude of the DAP. The party seems to be so angry with TS Muhyiddin till anyone who supports TS Muhyiddin must be punished even though this is their right as MPs under Article 43 of the Federal Constitution.”
Moreover, Marzuki said Article 49 of the Federal Constitution which prevents the act of party hopping among MPs does not revoke the right of MPs to express their trust in another MP as PM even if they are from different parties.
For context, Chong has called on the Barisan Nasional (BN) supreme council to investigate all its MPs who signed a statutory declaration (SD) to support Muhyiddin as PM in the aftermath of the 15th General Election (GE15).
Chong claimed that investigations and disciplinary actions must be taken if BN wanted to maintain the unity government’s stability and prevent the Sheraton Move from recurring. Moreover, such measure is in line with UMNO’s move to take disciplinary action against its MPs who signed the SD supporting Muhyiddin.
Among the non-UMNO MPs who are believed to have signed the SD are Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong (Ayer Hitam), Datuk Seri M. Saravanan (Tapah), Datuk Seri Wee Jeck Seng (Tanjung Piai) and Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup (Pensiangan).
On the hindsight, Marzuki said Chong’s call is testament that Muhyiddin had on Nov 21 gained the trust of the majority of 115 MPs to be appointed as PM under Article 43 of the Federal Constitution.
“But due to political pressure, 10 BN MPs (six UMNO, two MCA, one MIC and one PBRS) had to withdraw their support,” he observed.
“The question is whether the withdrawal of their support was done in good faith or under duress? If under duress, what are the legal and constitutional effects? I don’t want to take it there because the appointment of the PM by YDPA (the Yang di-Pertuan Agong) cannot be challenged in court.”
Marzuki further suggested that DAP hold “a grudge because if TS Muhyiddin is appointed as PM, DAP will not have the chance to be in the government as it has today”.
“With the non-appointment of TS Muhyiddin as PM, DAP returned to control the government. This is the time for DAP to highlight their ‘politics of revenge’ as urged by this Kampar MP,’ Marzuki pointed out.
“The actions of BN MPs who defended the ‘No DAP’ policy as voiced by their own party’s grassroots suddenly became a big mistake. DAP doesn’t care. Their grudge is bigger than the voice of other party’s grassroots.”
Marzuki has recently sparked a controversy when he urged the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to investigate the expenditures of PKR and DAP during the recent general election (GE15). – Feb 7, 2023
