ANY plot to topple the government or form a government through backdoor means through the signing of statutory declarations (SDs) are no longer relevant, said Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
The deputy prime minister said the enforcement of the anti-party hopping law has made the practice of signing SDs irrelevant.
“I think when it comes to backdoor governments, SDs are no longer used as the main platform (to get MPs to pledge their support) like how it was the case before the Anti-Party Hopping Law came into effect,” he was reported as saying by Berita Harian at a press conference today (Jan 5).
Zahid said this when asked to comment about several series of plots to topple the Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim-led unity government as were reported previously.
The Constitution (Amendment) (No. 3) Act 2022, better known as the anti-party hopping law, that prohibits Members of Parliament (MPs) from switching parties will come into force on Oct 5, 2022.
Then minister in the prime minister’s department (parliament and law) Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar previously said the Act had obtained the consent of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on Aug 31 and was gazetted as Act A1663 on Sept 6.
Elaborating, Zahid said with the existence of such an Act, all political decisions of a party have to be made en bloc.
On Wednesday (Jan 3), Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor confirmed that there exists a plot by Perikatan Nasional (PN) to topple the federal government through democratic means.
Sanusi, who is also PN election director, said the plot should, however, be called the “Chow Kit Move” rather than the “Dubai Move” as the plot was discussed in Kuala Lumpur.
He also reportedly said he believes the name “Dubai Move” was just a dummy or decoy as those allegedly planning to topple the federal government had visited Dubai, but highlighted that many people go to the city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Last Saturday (Dec 30) Community Communications Department (J-KOM) deputy director (community communications) Datuk Ismail Yusop said a plot, purportedly orchestrated by opposition leaders including certain government representatives with the goal of toppling the unity government, was now in the works.
Ismail said the Dubai move surfaced during the recent holiday of leaders from PN, including government officials, in the capital city of the UAE.
He claimed that the meeting took place to discuss and assign specific tasks to “agents” responsible for identifying MPs who might switch support to the opposition through inducements, solely to establish a “tebuk atap” (backdoor) government.
On top of the PN leaders, Ismail also claimed the involvement of influential veteran political figures and “Tuns” who are conspiring with the opposition and using “foreign sources” to overthrow the administration led by Anwar. – Jan 5, 2024
Main pic credit: Bernama
