A NO-CONFIDENCE motion against Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin will not have an effect because people supporting the current government have their own agenda, said Dr Mahathir Mohamad. 

The former prime minister said even if Parliament reconvenes and a motion is filed, Muhyiddin will still be in power because those supporting the present government only intend to save themselves. 

“If there is a motion of no-confidence in Parliament, that will not have any effect because I suspect the people who support the present government… they support because of their problems. 

“So, if they bring down Muhyiddin’s government, they themselves will be out of the government. To them, being out of the government is very dangerous because they have court cases. They feel if they are in the government, they will be able to manipulate things. 

“If you go to Parliament to discuss or move (a motion) or vote, that is not going to do anything to change the government. The (current) government will still be there,” the Langkawi MP said in a virtual press conference today.

Last year, all five lawmakers from Dr Mahathir’s party Pejuang separately filed a motion of no-confidence against Muhyiddin, saying he had lost the confidence of the house.

It was Dr Mahathir’s second motion after his first one in May did not see the light of day.

Earlier this afternoon, the chairman of yet-to-be registered Pejuang spent about 45 minutes at Istana Negara, having an audience with Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah.

He was the third leader to meet the king today, after PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man and MCA president Dr Wee Ka Siong. 

Warisan president Mohd Shafie Apdal also met the king today. 

The nonagenarian said the king was not against the sitting of Parliament but that it was up to the government to decide whether to reconvene it.

He claimed that this health emergency, which is preventing the Parliament from sitting, does not conform with the requirement of the law. 

“The law says for a declaration of an emergency, it must be laid before Parliament and the house will have to decide. But this has never been laid before Parliament. 

“So, perhaps, if Parliament is sitting, the first thing to do is to see whether this emergency is supported by the government,” he said. 

Article 150 of the federal constitution states that an emergency proclamation and any ordinance promulgated under Clause (2B) shall be laid before both Houses of Parliament and, if not sooner revoked, shall cease to have effect if resolutions are passed by both Houses annulling such Proclamation or ordinance, but without prejudice to anything previously done by virtue thereof or to the power of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to issue a new Proclamation under Clause (1) or promulgate any ordinance under Clause (2B).

Dr Mahathir said if Parliament reconvenes, lawmakers could suggest some ideas on how to handle the current crises. – June 10, 2021.