Umno sec-gen wants Parliament postponed amid calls for no-confidence vote

Umno secretary-general Annuar Musa is calling for the scheduled Parliament sitting on March 9 to be postponed amid plans by Pakatan Harapan to initiate a no-confidence vote against Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who is now in the midst of forming his Perikatan Nasional cabinet.

"I am of the view that it is impossible to proceed with the date (to convene Parliament) set by the previous government. Whatever it is, the prime minister will need to give notice to the speaker.

"The government needs at least two months before there is a sitting. It is not impossible to hold a sitting during the fasting month or after Hari Raya," he said in a Twitter posting today.

Annuar was responding to Dewan Rakyat speaker Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof who yesterday said that at present, there were no plans to delay the Parliament sitting amid the Covid-19 outbreak.

This follows a Covid-19 scare after two MPs came in close contact with a confirmed Covid-19 patient. However, both MPs were yesterday tested negative.

"There should be a postponement but not due to Covid-19. When Harapan formed the government, Parliament too only convened after two months.

"Many matters need to be ironed out by the government before Parliament sits. This involves forming the cabinet, nominating a (new) speaker, questions by MPs and answers by the government and others," he said.

In a separate Twitter post, Annuar also warned that the new Perikatan Nasional government must tread carefully or go the way of the Harapan-led administration, which collapsed on Feb 24 following defections from Bersatu and PKR rebels to the opposition.

"If it is not properly managed, believe me, that PN will break Harapan's record as the shortest-serving government.

"Whatever turmoil could mean Parliament is dissolved and snap polls must be called," he said.

Under the federal constitution, the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong must convene the Parliament sitting not more than six months from the last day of the previous sitting.

The Parliament sitting is scheduled to convene on March 9 but there has been speculation that Muhyiddin may try to delay the sitting until he has consolidated his position by ensuring he has a comfortable majority in the Dewan Rakyat.

Harapan claims it has the support of 114 MPs, but the situation remains in a state of flux as MPs are still switching allegiances. The support of 112 MPs is needed for a simple majority.

Article 55(1) of the federal constitution states: "The Yang Di-Pertuan Agong shall from time to time summon Parliament and shall not allow six months to elapse between the last sitting in one session and the date appointed for its first meeting in the next session."

However, the constitution is silent on the consequence if more than six months is allowed to elapse.