ACCORDING to DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang, Dec 19’s vote of confidence in Prime Minister (PM) Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will be a crucial test for the survival of the latter’s unity government.
Since the PM had claimed to have the support of 148 MPs, with recent events affecting the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition in Sabah demonstrating that the Opposition lacks adequate support to form a new government, many are questioning the necessity of the vote of confidence in Parliament.
Anwar’s response is that a vote of confidence, though it is not necessary, will enable him to lead the nation effectively and with a clear mandate.
These concerns are shared by an Aliran member in an op-ed published on its portal earlier. According to former Aliran president P. Ramakrishnan, a lot depends on whether UMNO can be trusted at this crucial stage to stand solidly with the unity government.
“If UMNO, for instance, is assured by [PN chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin] and company that UMNO president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi will be appointed PM if Anwar is toppled on Dec 19, will that lead to betrayal?” he questioned.
“Power is too tempting, far too intoxicating, certainly highly persuasive to care for principles and ethics.”
According to Ramakrishnan, rumour has it that UMNO vice-president Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob and some other UMNO members had “purportedly skipped a recent UMNO supreme council meeting and allegedly headed to Jakarta”.
Meanwhile, another rumour that had been circulating has it that Muhyiddin had allegedly also made a beeline for Jakarta, he added.
While a politician had previously claimed that there are plans to topple the unity government headed by Anwar and to put PN in power, the PM is confident that he has the support of 148 MPs.
Former PM Datuk Seri Najib Razak also had something to say about the majority that anwar has in Parliament, writing on his Facebook page that the situation with Bersatu in Sabah does not jeopardise the unity government’s majority in Parliament.
He seemed confident that the UMNO MPs will kowtow to the leadership of the party.
However, Ramakrishnan noted that the situation is made even more worrying since UMNO MP Datuk Seri Jalaluddin Alias said that BN lawmakers have yet to receive explicit orders on how to handle the upcoming confidence vote for the PM on Dec 19.
“The vote of confidence will take place in five days’ time. Is it not totally flabbergasting that this important issue was not discussed at the recent UMNO supreme council meeting? That question mark denotes a puzzle,” Ramakrishnan wrote.
“This is why I say that the integrity of those who had pledged their support will also be tested on Monday. Will their integrity be sacrificed for power and greed?” – Dec 14, 2022
