Press Statement
8th September 2021
Azhar Harun Must Clarify The Absence Of Both Motions Relating To A Confidence Vote And An Election Of A New Speaker In The Parliamentary Order Paper.
Dewan Rakyat Speaker Azhar Harun must clarify the absence of both motions relating to a confidence vote on the new Prime Minister Ismail Sabri and an election of a new Speaker in the Parliamentary Order papers when Parliament meets next week. Once again Azhar has failed to fulfil his constitutional duty to uphold the supremacy, sanctity and sovereignty of Parliament as well as sustain the Federal Constitution.
Even the King, when meeting all the heads of political parties in the Royal Palace on 17 August, which was attended by the Speaker himself and his brother the Attorney-General, had issued a royal command that a vote of confidence in Parliament must be held after the new Prime Minister is appointed. Unfortunately, the Attorney-General had chosen to openly defy and disobey the King by stating openly in an unsolicited public statement that there is no need for a confidence vote because it would nullify the King’s powers to appoint a Prime Minister.
Such logic that a vote of confidence would nullify the King’s power to appoint a Prime Minister is difficult to comprehend when the King himself had issued a royal command that such a vote of confidence should be held in Parliament. Clearly the Attorney-General has shown himself to be a political tool unworthy and disqualified for the present post he is holding.
Similarly, Azhar had also chosen to follow his brother not in so many words but through indirect action by not advising the new government to submit a vote of confidence which he had personally heard from the King. Further there was no motion for an election for a new Speaker when UMNO President Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had already submitted a motion for Azalina Othman Said as the new Dewan Rakyat speaker.
There is no doubt that Azhar had disappointed many MPs with his poor performance in failing to uphold the supremacy of Parliament, independent from the dictates of the executive, but also his open defiance and disobedience to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to reconvene Parliament during the Emergency. Azhar must come clean on these two important issues to ensure that Parliament be allowed to play its proper role of check and balance to focus on the COVID-19 pandemic and economic recession to save lives and livelihood.
Lim Guan Eng
DAP Secretary-General
MP for Bagan