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KUALA LUMPUR: Drastic measures are needed if the 2021 budget is defeated in the Dewan Rakyat, says Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.
“I had raised questions about how MPs would approach the 2021 supply bill in the days of Covid-19 not long ago and sadly there are more questions than answers,” the Penggerang MP said in a post titled “The debacle of trust “about her. blog on Monday (November 23).
The Umno deputy and Dewan Rakyat’s vice president said recent events and the upcoming budget vote have cast doubt on the prime minister’s confidence, especially if the budget is defeated.
He said that by convention the Prime Minister would have to resign his post if the Budget is defeated as seen in other Commonwealth countries.
“Until the voting process for the Supply Bill (Budget 2021) takes place, a number of questions will remain unanswered,” he said.
Azalina said that some of the questions were whether the Prime Minister would resign if the Budget is defeated or if a state of emergency is declared in Kuala Lumpur to stop Parliament proceedings.
He added that other questions were whether a general election would be called if the budget is defeated and how long it would be before a new budget can be presented.
To overcome these uncertainties, Azalina proposed that the government take urgent measures during this parliamentary session to end the political impasse.
She suggested the introduction of an anti-party bill and a law to regulate all political parties under a coalition government.
Azalina added that the law for the coalition administration should oblige political parties to enter and register in a written coalition government with a shared agenda and political agreements.
He also proposed that Malaysia enact a law similar to the Fixed Term Parliaments Act 2011 (FTPA) in the UK.
He said such a law would ensure that confidence votes are drafted specifically to trigger a general election and avoid uncertainties.
“This means that a government defeat on a budget measure would not necessarily bring down a government, although it is likely to face a vote of no confidence soon after, as its ability to enforce the will of the House would be in doubt,” she added.
Azalina acknowledged that holding general elections could be the only way to restore political normalcy in the country despite the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
He noted that 13 nations have held general elections under the conditions of Covid-19, and said that he agreed with Umno President Datuk Seri, Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, that the mandate be returned to the people.
“Perhaps only when the political balance is restored and the previously proposed safeguards are implemented, only then will politicians be able to shift their focus to what they are expected to do when they come to power, ruling responsibly,” he said.
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