[ad_1]
Agong’s rejection of Muhyiddin Yassin’s request to declare a state of emergency is nothing more than an expression of his lack of confidence in the prime minister’s leadership. If Muhyiddin had any sense of responsibility, he would resign. But in his more than 40 years in politics, Muhyiddin has never displayed a sense of public responsibility. Don’t expect me to show it now.
It is the turn of parliament to take home Agong’s message (shared by the people) by rejecting Muhyiddin through the next budget bill, if not a formal vote of “no-confidence”, forcing him to resign. The Agong would then be free to select a leader who, in their opinion, had the confidence of the house. That is, he would have to accept Anwar’s presentation on October 13 and appoint him prime minister. If protecting people from Covid-19 infection is Agong’s top priority, as he has indicated, calling a general election now would be a reckless option.
Let’s be clear. Agong’s rejection of the advice of an elected prime minister is no small feat and could set a dangerous precedent. Muhyiddin, however, is far from an elected leader. He is nothing more than an illegitimate prime minister “through the back door”; Parliament never ratified his leadership.
If Muhyiddin managed to win support in parliament, for example by bribing all Umno deputies with a cabinet position or the leadership of the GLC, he would win his battle but the nation would lose the war. It would be established forever that the king can dispense with the advice of his prime minister. There will be no going back once the bridge is crossed. This should weigh heavily on those who are inclined to vote for Muhyiddin.
Muhyiddin shouldn’t be consoled by Agong’s expression of proforma confidence buried at the end of the Ruling Council’s statement. It should be noted that Muhyiddin’s name was not mentioned, only the office.
The message of the Agong and the Ruling Council was not even subtle. As a distraction, but not to be missed, was that the four governors did not participate in the decision. Have you ever wondered why the secessionist movement in East Malaysia is gaining ground or why the citizens of Penang and Malacca feel left out?
Muhyiddin never indicated or hinted at why he would need the broad powers of the Emergency Ordinance to fight Covid-19. If it did, then the Agong, like the rest of Malaysia, was not impressed.
The most egregious violators of the public health measures for Covid-19 are the ministers and officials of Muhyiddin’s party. The emergency rule wouldn’t change your ability to deal with it.
The obvious but unacknowledged fact is that Muhyiddin is an ineffective leader; he cannot even direct his ministers. He only knows how to buy their loyalty through bribery, with public money. Your cabinet is bloated for a reason.
Being weak is bad enough, but Muhyiddin is also incompetent. It’s not even Parkinson’s Law personified (being promoted beyond the competition). Muhyiddin has been incompetent the entire time.
Muhyiddin faces two options: resign gracefully or face the prospect of an ugly and highly divisive “no-confidence” vote in parliament and then be removed. No Prime Minister of Malaysia, save perhaps the first, has left office with dignity.
Dr. Mahathir Mohamad deluded himself into thinking it was indispensable. He thought he had performed a class act in February 2020 by quitting. He had expected a great deal of support, a repeat of his June 2001 decision. Instead, he plunged Malaysia into its present unnecessary, distracting and divisive crisis. Welcome to your 2020 Vision!
His predecessor, Najib, tried to escape to Indonesia in a private jet on the night of May 9 after his election attack. Vigilant citizens mobilized through social media thwarted his “planned vacation.”
Before him was sleepyhead Abdullah Badawi; woke up and found himself out of the office. Before him was Dr. Mahathir, 2001 version, with his staged melodrama that managed to delay his departure for two years.
We know what happened to Hussein Onn (poor health) and Abdul Razak Hussein (death).
Only the first prime minister came out with a modicum of grace. As Abdul Rahman wrote in his memoirs, if he had met his deputy, Razak was desperate for the job, he would have quit earlier. There was no need for the intrigues behind Razak’s back that sparked the May 1969 riots. That was the first and only time that parliament had been suspended and an emergency rule instituted by decree.
History suggests that Muhyiddin should be fired. On the other hand, as Muslims believe, everything is in the hands of Allah. We propose; He disposes. Malaysia could receive divine intervention. – October 26, 2020.
* M. Bakri Musa reads The Malaysian Insight.
* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight.
[ad_2]
