LETTER | Patriot calls on all MPs for conscionable action

 LETTER | The National Patriots Association (Patriot) appeals to all MPs on both sides of the divide to exercise a conscionable resolve to help end the political crisis.

The call for Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and his cabinet to resign has spread all over the country reflecting the trust deficit that has hit a critical low following the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government’s performance in the past 17 months.

The nation is at a critical juncture. The call for a confidence vote in the Dewan Rakyat is inevitable and as rightly advised by the palace, is urgently needed to resolve the crisis at hand and to steer the nation out of this long drawn political quagmire.

Patriot postulates we can only successfully battle the worsening state of the pandemic and the symbiotically connected economic and social challenges and fallouts if our country’s leadership issue is resolved.

The PM’s declaration that Parliament will only convene in September has aggrieved matters further. Opposition lawmakers are demanding for a special Parliament sitting to be held immediately to decide on a motion of confidence against the prime minister.

Patriot’s concern, that resonates with citizens’ call, is the ensuing moves to solicit support with enticements in a protracted period of weeks from now.

As rightly pointed out by the learned former attorney-general Tommy Thomas, “The prime minister has no other option. He cannot stubbornly cling to the office”.

Patriot concurs with Thomas that the Dewan Rakyat should sit urgently to deliberate on motions of no confidence or confidence as the case may be.

We appeal to all lawmakers in both West and East Malaysia to act conscionably. You must recognise the common and widely shared perception among citizens and act to meet those by your very oath of office.

Patriot will condemn any moves by any lawmaker who takes a particular side driven by deceit or solely for the purpose of self-gains. Likewise, we vociferously condemn any form of coercion that is used to compel lawmakers in supporting any one side.

Every lawmaker has a categorical duty to king and country and it is imperative that they act in the best interest of the nation and consistent with the aspirations of the rakyat and not out of convenience culture.

MOHAMED ARSHAD RAJI is president of Patriot. 

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