The Malaysian Insight

PARLIAMENT will not debate the 25 no-confidence and two confidence motions regarding Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s leadership because they are not a priority, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (law) Takiyuddin Hassan.

“Since there is no reason to believe that Muhyiddin (Bersatu-Pagoh) has lost the confidence of the House, the government will not prioritise the confidence motions in Parliament,” he said during Minister’s Question Time, this morning.

Furthermore, the Kota Baru MP noted Parliament’s Standing Orders 14 and 15 state that government business should have priority over private members’ bills.

“Although the motions are submitted in accordance with rules 26 (1) and 27 (3) in the Dewan Rakyat arrangement, we are subject to the rules of meetings 14 and 15, government business should take precedence over other matters,” Takiyuddin said in response to a question from Hassan Karim (PH-Pasir Gudang) who asked when the motions would be tabled, debated, and voted upon.

Takiyuddin also said Budget 2021 had been passed by the Dewan Rakyat at the policy stage, which meant that the prime minister had the confidence and support of MPs.

“The opposition in particular said that if the Budget 2021 is not approved, it is assumed that the PM has lost the confidence of the majority.”

However, it was passed by voice vote, with few disagreements from MPs.

“Therefore, there is no question that there is a lack or loss of majority support for the prime minister,” he said.

On November 26, when voting at the policy stage for the budget, only 13 MPs from the opposition stood up to request a division vote (where votes by individual MPs are counted), two short of the required 15 for the action to take effect.

Takiyuddin added that if more than 112 MPs submit statutory declarations about their choice for a new prime minister, then it would be in line with democratic practices. This would present a simple majority in the 222-seat House. – December 10, 2020.