THE opposition has never stopped in its efforts to take over the administration of the federal government through democratic means, said Perikatan Nasional (PN) election director Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor.
He said there are no reasons not to do so as long as the efforts do not go against the Federal Constitution, even more so with the loopholes in the Anti-Party Hopping law.
In fact, Sanusi who is also the Kedah Menteri Besar also confirmed Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s earlier statement about the existence of the Dubai Move plot to topple the unity government.
The Dubai Move was alleged to involve plans to identify and make offers to MPs who might switch support to the opposition to establish a new government.
“I think it’s fine if the processes are carried out in accordance to the law, but we don’t do it if the processes go against the Constitution. But it remains constitutional [for MPs] to declare their support for whoever they want,” Sanusi was reported as saying at a press conference on Wednesday (Jan 3) by Utusan Malaysia.
“There is no problem with the five MPs from PN who declare their support for the government; we have no complaints about it. It is a constitutional move based on realms of democracy, and even if we were to retaliate, it would still be all right.
“If they (the government) can ‘take’ five (opposition MPs), they cannot make noise if we were to ‘take’ ten of their own. Of course we can do that, as it is a normal process that is allowed by the Federal Constitution.”
The five PN MPs who had expressed their support for the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim-led unity government are Kuala Kangsar MP Datuk Iskandar Dzulkarnain, Labuan MP Datuk Dr Suhaili Abdul Rahman, Jeli MP Zahari Kechik, Gua Musang MP Mohd Azizi Abu Naim and Bukit Gantang MP Datuk Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal.
Recall that last month, Sinar Harian reported a Bersatu Supreme Council member as claiming that more than 10 government MPs are set to switch their support to PN to form a new government.
According to Redzuan Yusof, 10 government MPs, including some from PKR, will declare their support for the opposition bloc before other government backbenchers join them.
Impending power shift?
Meanwhile, Sanusi also expressed confidence that the Anwar-led government would fall before it completes its five-year term and insisted that any moves allowed under the Federal Constitution should be allowed to go on.
“I know (the date) but I cannot say (when) and (this will be) through the shift of support that is bound to happen. Democratically-speaking, this is not impossible and I can picture this happening soon,” he added.
Sanusi said he did not reject the possibility of the take-over happening this year, further pointing out that he would he happier if the shift of power were to occur either this month or even by this week.
He also said the “Dubai Move” is far from being the start of the opposition’s move to take over the federal administration as matters relating to this had already been discussed earlier.
“Someone said it’s not the ‘Dubai Move’ but more of a ‘Chow Kit Move’ seeing as to how discussions were done in Kuala Lumpur. There is no need to go all the way to Dubai,” he stressed.
“I feel that Dubai is merely a ‘dummy’ or a decoy. Previously they called it the Sheraton Move but that was not the case as the parties involved had only gone down to Sheraton (Hotel) for a meal. What had happened (the coup) had already happened even before that.”
Elaborating further on PN’s confidence of an impending power shift in the federal government, Sanusi said the rakyat can no longer bear to deal with the pressure that came from the pertinent issues affecting them.
“No one is objecting (the idea of changing the government) and those who have shown resistance are only one or two people who are merely concerned that they would lose power if that happens,” he remarked.
“But the people have welcomed this idea as they have witnessed what has happened in the 22 months (when Pakatan Harapan was in power after winning GE14) happening all over again.
“There has been interference in terms of religion as well as pressure on other parties that do not share the same vision that are worse than what had happened in the last 22 months (when PH was in power).” – Jan 4, 2024
Main pic credit: The Vibes
