MP SPEAKS | Letters, denials, confusion

MP SPEAKS | In my 20 years in politics and as a four-term MP, never before has a letter caused inexplicable mayhem in Malaysian politics.

I graduated from the Universiti Malaya Law Faculty in 1988. Engrained from my legal training, a belief and value system that the Federal Constitution is the Supreme Law of Malaysia. Article 43 of the Federal Constitution clearly states that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong appoints the prime minister and the cabinet. The king uses his discretion and judgment to decide who he believes is most likely to command the confidence of the majority in Dewan Rakyat (Lower House).

Is a letter of support enough to convince the king to invoke his discretion and judgment? Let’s recall the king’s speech at the opening of the parliamentary session this year. The king reminded all MPs that he was compelled to invoke Article 43 when a vacuum was created resulting from Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s resignation as prime minister – a resignation that was submitted at will and against the king’s good advice. His Majesty then called upon all MPs to sign a statutory declaration, in the presence of government officials as witnesses.

If a mere letter is considered adequate to change a government, coupled with the fact that we do not have an anti-party hopping law; then we are opening the sluices of our political system and might as well deem it a system without integrity...