DO not rejoice yet over the defeat of the motion to extend sub-section 4(5) of the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012, which provides for the detention of suspects of up to 28 days without trial.

The government did not suffer a historic shock defeat in its failure to get the motion passed in the Dewan Rakyat, as described by Pakatan Harapan. 

Immediately after the defeat of the motion, the Umno leaders made separate statements saying the government’s memorandum of understanding with PH on reform and political stability was no longer valid. 

On the opposite end, PH furiously responded that their non-support for the motion did not impugn the terms of the MOU. 

The minister who tabled the failed motion alleged that not only were the PH politicians playing politics, politicians in the Perikatan Nasional-led coalition, of which Umno is part, were also playing politics, too. And all were doing it for their own selfish greed.

The events clearly point to a charade that was planned to achieve the ultimate objective – a snap election, notwithstanding the MOU .

Following Umno’s resounding success in the Malacca elections, its politicians have been murmuring about an early general election. The murmurs turned into open calls from the top leadership in the run up to the March Johor elections. The calls turned into a roar at the Umno general assembly last week.

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob , who is from Umno, had to step in to declare that only the  Yang di-Pertuan Agong could call for parliament to be dissolved, leading to the Umno president conceding that elections should not be held before July 31, when the MOU expires.

The excuses of MPs who were did not vote on the Sosma bill vote clearly indicate that the plan was for a certain number of lawmakers in the ruling coalition to conveniently absent themselves from the voting process. 

Until and unless the 115 MPs who had expressed support for the prime minister withdraw that support, he still commands the confidence of all of them. And these 115 MPs do not include the PH MPs, who voted against the motion for the extension of Sosma.

Accordingly, a premature ending of the MOU would not affect the legitimacy of the ruling coalition to govern.

If the minister who tabled the motion succeeds in re-tabling the same motion later, it would show the events of the past few days to have been a farce.

Until the greed of the politicians is fulfilled an early general election date, the rakyat will be held to ransom again. For sure it will be a wild and jerky ride in the next few months. – March 26, 2022.

* FLK reads The Malaysian Insight.