The Malaysian Insight

DESPITE criticism, Klang lawmaker Charles Santiago today defended his proposal that controversial government policies should be first discussed at the Pakatan Harapan presidential council before Putrajaya makes a decision.

Santiago said he will it leave it up to the component parties to decide on whether to implement the idea he mooted following the controversy over the teaching of khat in vernacular primary schools.

“This is something that is practised in other countries, where there are four or five component parties which first discuss issues internally,” he told reporters on the sidelines of a river pollution seminar today.

In such countries, political parties reach a consensus first on hot-button topics before a government decision is made, he added.

He refuted criticism that he was taking away the prime minister’s prerogatives to make government decisions.

“It’s my opinion and PM has responded, so we leave it as that PM has read my statement, it is up to him and the presidential council to decide (on the idea).”

Santiago, who is also Selangor DAP vice-chairman, said this idea was only for controversial issues and not all government decisions.

He had said there was too much power invested in the prime minister and it was time that the decision-making process be shared with the presidential council.

The council is chaired by the prime minister and comprises top leaders from the coalition’s four parties – DAP, PKR, Amanah and Bersatu.

His remarks yesterday led to a sarcastic rebuke from Dr Mahathir Mohamad who said: “In future, when there is a decision to be made, I will only make it after checking with (Charles) Santiago. I will get his opinion. He is equal to me.”

Leaders from Bersatu, which Dr Mahathir leads, had also criticised Santiago. 

When asked whether he thought that he was equal to the prime minister, Santiago said: “We are all Malaysians of equal standing.” – August 14, 2019.