DESPITE 12 of his Cabinet members openly objecting to early polls, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob believes the legitimacy of his Government is still intact.
This is as the ministers in question, all from Perikatan Nasional (PN), have not resigned from their posts or withdrawn their support for him as prime minister.
“They only penned a letter objecting to the dissolution of Parliament (this year), (where they) mentioned nothing about resigning, and that the power to dissolve Parliament is within the jurisdiction of the prime minister and the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
“So, the issue of the Government’s legitimacy does not arise as support from members of the Dewan Rakyat is still intact,” The Vibes reported Ismail as saying after attending the national-level Maulidur Rasul celebration at the World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur.
Ismail added even if such leaders had lost confidence in his leadership, they have to formally withdraw their support for him through a vote of no-confidence in the Dewan Rakyat, in line with the Federal Constitution.
“Many of those who do not understand the constitution are simply talking without (taking into account the role of) the constitution,” he noted.
“If members of the Dewan Rakyat withdraw support, less than 114 or a simple majority, then the Government will collapse, as what had happened with Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin,” he said, referring to his predecessor and PN chairman.
“That is why the entire Cabinet then had to resign.”
On the other hand, Malaysiakini quoted Ismail as saying that even if the 12 PN ministers resigned, “Cabinet still functions and we will appoint new ministers to replace them”.
Joint letter
On Thursday (Oct 6), it was reported that all 12 PN ministers had signed a joint letter to the King stating their objections to holding the 15th General Elections (GE15) this year. This was later confirmed by Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) vice-president Datuk Radzi Jidin.
Ismail has been under intense pressure from UMNO president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to dissolve Parliament and pave the way for early polls this year. Ismail, who is also an UMNO vice-president, has not done so.
Several PAS and PPBM ministers have openly rejected early polls in view of the year-end monsoon season and possibility of floods, which wrecked devastation in parts of the Klang Valley last December.
UMNO secretary-general Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan has since branded the letter as “inappropriate”, while constitutional expert Datuk Wan Ahmad Fauzi Wan Husain said the 12 PN ministers should resign for acting in “contempt” of Ismail.
Meanwhile, at the same event, Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad called on his subjects to make the necessary preparations to face the annual monsoon season, slated for the next few months.
Malaysiakini quoted the King as ordering all related agencies to make thorough and comprehensive preparations for the well-being of the people.
“The preparations are not only from the aspect of reducing the impact of flooding, but to draft a mechanism so that help can be channelled to flood victims in a planned, swift, and effective manner,” he added.
Sultan Abdullah was briefed on Thursday on the year-end weather and flood situation amid rumours that Parliament would be dissolved before Budget 2023 was tabled the following day (Oct 7). The dissolution did not take place, however. – Oct 9, 2022
