YOURSAY | Tough times call for tough measures

YOURSAY | ‘If democracy is seen to be put on the back burner, so be it'

Anwar's agreement is a formula for dictatorship, claims Mas Ermieyati

FranklySpeaking: Clause 4 b) of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) appears to be unconstitutional and a formula for ‘dictatorship’ to some people.

If individual MPs in the many political parties that form the unity government are genuinely concerned about their absolute freedom to vote and have decided not to vote or support the “dictator” prime minister, these MPs have the option to resign, and vacate their seats and trigger a by-election.

These MPs should not cling on to their party as members, waiting mischievously for the party to expel them so that they can keep their parliamentary seats.

Unfortunately, such dishonourable MPs exist in all political parties and these MPs do not toe the party line for their own interests yet refuse to resign. To add salt to injury, they continue to reason that it is “unconstitutional” and that their party leaders are “dictators”.

These are the political frogs that the nation can live without, their continued existence threatens political stability, and give parliamentary democracy a bad name. Consequently, the people suffer as the country continues to be trapped in a vicious cycle of political betrayal.

On the other hand, there are so many upsides with regard to the shared goals declared in the MOA. The 18-point intent as detailed in Clause 2 b) of the MOA is too big to be trivialised or ignored. The glass is almost full, but some choose to see that the glass is not completely full. Shame on them!

Hopeful123: Tough times call for tough actions. Dictatorship you may call it. With the current political situation in our beloved country, what do you think is the best option? Democracy is not a bad idea. In fact, it was mooted with all good intentions.

Correctly practised democracy works well but then the majority of the population was deliberately misled by the leaders to ensure that their position and power were not threatened.

They fed the ignorant, poor, and gullible people with disinformation, always playing the race and religion card, so much so that the country is on the brink of total collapse and sliding fast into becoming a Taliban state.

Unscrupulous and greedy leaders have robbed the nation’s coffers empty. The people are suffering and are finding it difficult to put food on the table. It is time to get tough and put right whatever is done wrongly.

If democracy is seen to be put on the back burner, so be it. If democracy is a stumbling block to the progress and wellbeing of the people, then let us accept that tough times need tough measures.

MatK: All this pontificating about alleged irregularity may have an amusing sense of relevance. Good on you for your remonstrance. But wait for the proof of the pudding in the eating before becoming judgmental about dictatorship. Let the voting be conducted.

Many may be wittingly unfamiliar or even very familiar with “dictatorships” of governance right in their midst for some decades, and remain unmindful for parochial reasons of selective benevolence.

The previous two short-term governments did not undertake a formal confidence vote upon assuming the right to govern. So why all this premature clamour now?

And on the issue of dictatorship, any government that tramples on the rights of ordinary citizens, especially minorities, and remains tolerant of corruption could have the very indicators of being a dictatorship.

Anonymous: In a broader perspective and in principle, I must agree with former deputy law minister Mas Ermieyati Samsudin though I despise her betrayal and sincerely hope no Pakatan Harapan MPs would vote against Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. We cannot always have the cake and eat it too.

If challenged in court, the court might uphold Article 49A which is sacrosanct, especially on issues of moral or social significance, as MPs should be allowed to vote freely based on their own views or their conscience and those of their constituency.

Otherwise, it would be a dictatorship with absolute power when an elected MP is forbidden to exercise his or her conscience or free will to do justice and right what society perceived as wrong for the greater good of the community.

Where are those Karpal Singhs, the Gobind Singhs and the rest of the once-fearless patriots who scream for justice? You cannot bribe, corrupt or point a gun at an MP and force him to act against his good conscience, right?

What happens if a coalition insisted that PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang be endorsed as PM, and can I as an MP disagree? I hope I will be proven wrong here.

Vijay47: Ardent Harapan supporters and even more ardent opponents of Perikatan Nasional, I will go with Mas Ermieyati on this issue.

My first reaction on reading the original report was that something was amiss – what happened to all those lofty speeches about the supremacy of the rakyat’s wishes, how can a party or even a prime minister’s prerogatives override the Constitution?

As Mas Ermieyati pointed out, Article 49A does not provide for the disqualification of a member of Parliament merely because he opposes or does not support party instructions to vote in a particular manner.

By all means, the party can take action against the recalcitrant member in accordance with party procedure but not within the parameters of Parliament which would tower above all else however energetically the party may pass its own brand of laws.

Parliament and the rakyat are always supreme. Remember? That Mas Ermieyati may have residence with a “gang of undesirables” or may herself have a less than a sterling record is hardly the point.

What are Anwar and the members of his government doing to reflect the sanctity of Parliament?  You cannot blithely remove an MP just because he proved uncooperative – tough luck for you, he will remain in Parliament for the remainder of the five years.

The new-found staunch defence of the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma), the reappointment of ex-Machang MP Ahmad Jazlan Yaakub as Felcra chairperson, and on a trivial note, the cancellation of the Temerloh hall booking by PN makes me wonder – are we being fed old wine in new bottles?

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