Written by FMT, Mkini
Focus on ending political manoeuvres, says Umno Youth man
Wan Agyl Wan Hassan says trying to ensure stability through a fixed-term government would not succeed ‘if you fail to manage the politics’.
Wan Agyl Wan Hassan says those who switch support for a prime minister may be doing so because of “something else”, and not on principle.
An Umno leader has urged political leaders to deal with political manoeuvres aimed at changing the government by reforming the anti-hopping law.
Umno Youth permanent chairman Wan Agyl Wan Hassan said he understood the intention of party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi in proposing a Fixed-term Parliament Act, which would ensure a government remains in office for a full five years after a general election.
While Zahid’s intention was to ensure political stability, “at the end of the day, this is about political manoeuvring,” said Wan Agyl. “If you fail to manage the political part then you fail to ensure stability,” he said.
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Zahid’s proposal had come in the wake of speculation about a so-called “Dubai Move” to change the government by engineering defections from the ruling unity coalition.
Wan Agyl said “an MP might be threatened or offered something in order for them to shift support. It’s not like they suddenly one day realise they want to support someone else (to be prime minister). This is not about principles, there’s something else,” he said.
Instead, he urged the government to review the anti-hopping law and plug loopholes, citing the decision by five MPs of the opposition Bersatu party to declare support for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in November.
The five MPs who backed Anwar did so without quitting their party, circumventing a provision that would have resulted in their seats being vacated and fresh elections called.
‘Stick to winning back Malay votes’
An Umno grassroot leader from Johor said Zahid should not have been the one to make the proposal. He should have let other parties make the call, as Umno was “a rather small partner in the unity government” in terms of number of MPs.
“We should instead stick to working on how to ensure the Malays come back to Umno,” he told FMT.
Another Umno grassroot leader said Umno should not make it seem like the party is a close ally of PH. “The more we are perceived as being close to PH, the more the Malays won’t support us,” he said.
He said Zahid might be thinking of his own interests, but he should look into sustaining Umno and safeguarding its future, and not be making such statements.
Zahid has proposed a fixed-term Parliament to prevent any future attempts at changing governments, following the speculation about a “Dubai Move” to unseat the ruling unity coalition. Zahid said instability and changes in government in the middle of the parliamentary term were not good for the country. FMT
Don't waste time on Fixed-Term Parliament Act, Zaid tells Azalina
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Azalina Othman Said has been urged not to waste her time on introducing a Fixed-Term Parliament Act (FTPA).
While noting that the FTPA has its advantages, former law minister Zaid Ibrahim believed that the law would cause chaos in the Madani administration, which is a coalition government that comprises 19 component parties.
“It will be a mess,” Zaid (above) said in a statement on X today.
“A large single party like the Conservatives or Labour controls the British government, and the fixed term is working because stability is assured, not by the fixed term but by the strength of the ruling party.”
However, Zaid said the FTPA will only bring about “artificial stability” in Malaysia.
Zaid, who is also a lawyer, alleged that the introduction of the FTPA is an attempt to “strengthen a weak single party” - PKR - using a fixed-term method.
“It’s like a party president who wants to rule but has no election.
“Here, the coalition is large and porous. Movements of members are inevitable. Democracy here takes time to mature,” he added.
‘Don’t be anxious to rule for long periods‘
He reminded those in power “not to be too anxious to rule for long periods by artificial means”.
“When you are good and well-liked by the people, that’s the fixed term you will get.
“(There’s) no need to legislate if you have a fixed term but because the controlling party, which is PKR, is small, there will be an internal struggle in the coalition. It’s a matter of time.
“Government will be chaotic, and yet we cannot have an election because of the fixed-term law,” Zaid said.
Yesterday, Azalina said the Legal Affairs Division will conduct in-depth studies to get public views on such legislation.
She added that an engagement session with stakeholders will also be held soon, with the findings to be then reviewed by the cabinet for policy-making considerations.
The Pengerang MP said this in a statement welcoming a proposal - to introduce a special bill that will ensure a government remains in power for its full five-year term - by Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi that hinted at an FTPA.
‘Real reforms’
Zaid did not mince his words when he said the enactment of an FTPA is not a reform, but a control to contain dissent.
Instead, he advised Azalina to focus on executing real fundamental reforms in the likes of repealing the Sedition Act 1948 and the MACC Act 2009.
“Do not weaponise institutions like the MACC. Make them independent.
“You can also mandate the attorney-general (AG) to give reasons whenever he exercises his ‘unfettered discretions’. It’s one thing to say AG has absolute discretion, but you can compel him to provide reasons.
“That’s real reform,” he said.
Further, he questioned if the purpose of amending Article 10 of the Federal Constitution - to restrict elected representatives’ freedom of association - so the anti-party hopping law could be passed, had been achieved.
“The political party constitutions are amended to compel obedience of party members to follow the diktats of the party leaders, but do we achieve any more stability in these parties?” he asked. Mkini
Written by FMT, Mkini
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