ANY MP has the right to bring a motion of confidence in a prime minister who has not performed well, said Dr Mahathir Mohamad. 

The Bersatu chairman said Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin had promised to oust the Najib Razak government yet was now working with people from the same regime.

“To move such a vote is the right of every MP, irrespective of whether we win or lose,” the former prime minister said today in a press conference in Putrajaya.

“We find that the prime minister’s performance is not good for the country, hence we have the right whether as an MP from an opposition party or a government party to moot a vote of no confidence in a prime minister who has not kept his promises.”

He was asked if he had the numbers to support his motion of no confidence in Muhyiddin.

Dr Mahathir said he submitted the motion for today’s parliamentary sitting but the government had not allowed it. 

Today’s sitting took two hours to hear the royal address and open of third session of the 14th parliament. The MPs will convene for the next sitting in July.

Dr Mahathir said Muhyiddin, who is Bersatu president, had bypassed the party leadership in unilaterally deciding to take the party out of Pakatan Harapan, and then in announcing that Bersatu was part of the Perikatan Nasional alliance.

“Previously, (he) did not want to work with thieves and crooks but now, not only do we see such people in his government but people who have committed crimes are being treated well.”

He said Perikatan Nasional held an extremely marginal majority unlike the previous administration which had commanded a two-thirds majority. 

He said the opposition could shore up support from lawmakers from the government bench if it could expose the wrongdoings of the current government.

“This is my right as a parliament member not as a former prime minister. I have the right as an MP to move a no-confidence vote in the government,” he said. 

He said it was also the right of an MP to expose the wrongdoings of the government.

“Although some people might say that we don’t have the majority, we expect good sense to prevail among the members of parliament so that they will back a motion that is meant to save this country from someone who is not doing good for the country.” – May 18, 2020.