The Malaysian Insight

IT does not take much to shake the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government these days.

For barely hours after more than 1,000 young Malaysians called for Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s resignation in downtown Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, the government cancelled Dewan Rakyat’s last briefing session today.

The last session was scheduled to feature newly appointed Deputy Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s briefing on the emergency and Law Minister Takiyuddin Hassan’s much anticipated explanation for the cabinet’s cancellation of the emergency ordinances.

Although the government said its move to postpone today’s Dewan Rakyat meeting was on the advice of director-general of health Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah’s recommendation following the detection of Covid-19 cases in Parliament, many believe it is a political ploy to buy the embattled prime minister time and avoid a vote.

The #Lawan protest aside, the Muhyiddin administration has also been rocked by a royal rebuke.

Unprecedentedly, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong said the government has misled Parliament and failed to adhere to his instruction to table the cancellation of the emergency ordinances in Parliament.

In the palace’s statement, Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah said the cancellation was hasty and the government has sidestepped the king in the matter.

To make matters worse, Kangar MP Noor Amin Ahmad tweeted an alleged leaked correspondence from the king telling Muhyiddin that he would withhold his royal assent if the government did not table the cancellation in Parliament.

The letter emerged a day after the government insisted that it has acted legally in the matter.

Lack of confidence

But why go through so much trouble with the monarchy over cancelling the emergency ordinances, when the state of emergency expired yesterday?

Ilham Centre director Hisomuddin Bakar said the answer lies in Muhyiddin’s lack of a majority in the Dewan Rakyat.

“Perikatan has stopped Parliament from meeting since last December and despite the seven months of emergency rule and crossovers by three Pakatan Harapan MPs, it still doesn’t have the majority,” he said.

The pollster said Umno’s decision to withdraw support for Muhyiddin on July 8 has evidently shaken the prime minister.

“In public, Muhyiddin has Umno ministers promising their support for him, but this is untested in Parliament,” said Hisomuddin.

“He’s unsure how many of the 42 Barisan Nasional MPs will back him if a bill comes up for vote.”

To avoid being embarrassed, the government has decided that it will not do anything in Parliament that requires voting, he said.

Former deputy home minister Nur Jazlan Mohamed also believes that Muhyiddin had abused the emergency to stay in power.

“And it is clear now that Muhyiddin had abused emergency laws and humiliated the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to stay in power. This justifies why Umno can no longer be part of the Perikatan Nasional government,” said the former Pulai MP.

“In fact, it would be suicidal for Umno in the next election.”

Is it too late for Muhyiddin?

Prior to the royal rebuke and the Parliament session, rumours abound that the PN government was trying to secure more votes from the opposition.

While Pejuang, Warisan and Pakatan Harapan (PH) have all denied it, such speculation has resurfaced again following last week’s events.

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia’s Mazlan Ali believes that Muhyiddin has missed his opportunity to reconcile with the opposition.

“Although I don’t think he will resign as there is too much at stake for his group that includes Mohamed Azmin Ali and Hamzah Zainudin, it’s very late,” said the political science lecturer.

“He has bought some time until the next Parliament session on September 6 and could use this time to try and wrangle something with Umno or the opposition, but it will be an uphill task.”

Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii doubts PN will be able to gain anything from PH after recent events.

“While I am not privy to discussions on the upper leadership level and certain other considerations, I think it is very difficult for the prime minister to strike some sort of deal to save himself with us, especially if he does not take some form of responsibility for the grave mistakes he has made,” he said.

“While we understand the importance of working together in this pandemic, Muhyiddin must first take responsibility for his mistakes and show leadership even during the current constitutional crisis.”

Furthermore, Yii said, their supporters will not accept giving any lifeline to Muhyiddin.

“Not when he has not shown any remorse or taken any responsibility for his and his cabinet’s mistakes,” he said.

What’s left then is for Muhyiddin to go back to Parliament to prove that he has the majority despite all the naysayers, said Nur Jazlan and Hisomuddin.

“The easiest thing for him to do if he wants to remain as a responsible and respectable prime minister is to prove his majority in Parliament and not hide behind emergency laws to remain in power.

“If he can do it, let it be,” said Nur Jazlan.

If not, it is perhaps time to do the honourable thing and go. – August 2, 2021.