SUCH is the perception of veteran journalist and blogger Datuk A. Kadir Jasin after taking a chapter from the “non-surprising” declaration by Dewan Rakyat speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul for the six turncoat Bersatu MPs to remain in the August House.
As an overview, the national journalism laureate reckoned that this boils down to “the implicit task when a PKR strongman and staunch supporter of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was appointed speaker”.
He further offered five assumptions to further explain Johari’s decision that the six Bersatu MPs need not have to vacate their seats which ultimately went against the wishes of the Bersatu party or the bigger Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition for a by-election to take place:
- He defines the law based on precedent as this gives him the right to act in such a manner;
- He is a PKR member who is very close to PMX. He was chosen by PMX to be speaker. His son (Mohammed Taufiq Johari) is the MP for Sungai Petani. Therefore, he must act in concert or in a way that benefits PMX;
- The six MPs who won under the PN ticket but defected to support PMX are of the type who would not care about the voters’ mandate. Their actions are like mercenary soldiers;
- Their presence in the Dewan Rakyat strengthens the PMX’s position. So, of course the speaker will not arbitrarily remove them; and
- If the speaker gets rid of them, the six seats will be left vacant, PMX will lose six supporters and six by-elections will have to be held. It is likely that PN candidates will win again (as in the Sungai Bakap by-election).
So, what is Kadir’s verdict?
According to thickness, our statute books are among the thickest. The greatest law book is the Federal Constitution. All countries have a constitution except Canada, Israel, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia and the UK.
Thousands of laws are passed by the Parliament and state legislative assemblies but many laws are broken by MPs and state assemblymen. This is because they have their own interpretation and interests at stake.
Otherwise, there would certainly not be PMs, Deputy PMs, ministers, MPs and politicians of all levels for they would have gone to jail unless granted DNAA (dismissal not amounting to acquittal).
The law alone does not guarantee that people will be good citizens. If a person has bad characteristics, has no conscience or in simple language, has no heart, he will break them deliberately.
In conclusion, that is the level of fair play, civility, morals and integrity of some of our MPs. They don’t deserve to be called “Yang Berhormat”. How to call them “Yang Berhormat ” if they do not respect the voters’ mandate?
“From this episode of six Bersatu MPs and the Dewan Rakyat speaker, we can safely say that not all MPs are gentlemen. – July 15, 2024
