Andrew Ong
April 26, 2008
PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim said Malays have nothing to fear despite their smaller representation in several Pakatan Rakyat state governments.
This is because the new Pakatan state governments, which champion the concept of Ketuanan rakyat (people’s power), will not conceive policies that are detrimental to the Malays.
“I will not compromise on this issue. Nor will Pakatan members. We will not conceive any policy to the detriment of the Malays. That issue does not arise,” he pointed out.
Anwar said this when asked about uneaseness among certain quarters that the position of Malays had eroded following their reduction in numbers in the two state governments and the appointment of non-Malay speakers in the Perak and Selangor state legislative assemblies.
Immediately after the general election, Malay groups had protested against the new DAP-led Penang government over the new Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s remarks pertaining to the New Economic Policy.
Following this, Kelantan Regent Tengku Faris Petra had in a controversial speech said that the position of the Malays were being “challenged” and called on Malays to be united.
Apology or not, Umno the same
Acknowledging that the reduction in the number of Malays in the Penang, Perak and Selangor state governments as a political reality, Anwar said it doesn’t mean that policies will be skewed against the Malays.
“There can be a Chinese chief minister in Penang and a Malay menteri besar in Selangor. What is more important is that we have a unequivocal commitment to defend the rights of all Malaysians, regardless of race or religion,” he added.
On Umno Youth chief Hishammuddin Hussein’s apology for waving the keris during the past three Umno general assemblies, Anwar said that PKR would accept it and that the former should not repeat his act.
“The crux of the matter is not the keris as a symbol. What matters is his attitude which shows arrogance and the use of racial issues in politics.
“That is still being continued. They are raising issues about pig farming, Malay supremacy…claiming that the Malays are now very angry against the Selangor government…this sentiment is still strong in Umno,” he added.
Anti-hopping laws
On a related matter, Anwar was non-committal when asked to state his stand on the new ‘anti-party hopping’ laws which Barisan hopes to introduce.
He also refused to be drawn into commenting on whether such laws would be unconstitutional.
“We have to look and discuss about it first,” he said.
He also refused to be drawn into the debate on whether it was ethical to poach for Barisan Nasional MPs to make up the numbers necessary for Pakatan Rakyat to form the next federal government.
“History has shown that dozens have hopped into Barisan. Itu halal semua (that is all kosher to them),” he said.
Anwar had been repeatedly claiming that Barisan MPs are waiting for the opportune moment to leave their parties and join forces with Pakatan.
Asked whether his Pakatan peers – DAP and PAS – shared his sentiments on the need to poach for Barisan MPs, Anwar attempted to skirt the question.
“Don’t worry about that. At every stage we have had elaborate discussions and meetings with party leaders. I have said enough on the subject. We have to move on. Let the Umno and Barisan worry. You should not be unduly worried”.
Anwar was speaking to reporters after launching two books penned by the late Rustam Sani.
Earlier in his speech, Anwar had praised Rustam as an “extraordinary public intellectual” who had helped PKR draft their 2008 election manifesto.
Rustam’s two books, Social roots of the Malay left and Failed Nation? Concerns of a Malaysian Nationalist are now available on Kinibooks.com
I will comment on the most important point raised in this article, and that is the issue of MP’s CROSSING THE FLOOR OF PARLIAMENT, and whether it is constitutional or not.
Quoting from the article, at the press interview :
“ On a related matter, Anwar was non-committal when asked to state his stand on the new ‘anti-party hopping’ laws which Barisan hopes to introduce.”
The PM I believe wants to prevent MP’s crossing the floor to join Patai Pakatan no doubt. I can assure Dato Seri that any such attempt by the BN to enact such a ridiculous law will be unconstitutional and is a breach of the Malaysian Constitution; and the rationale is straight forward plain old COMMON SENSE. No democracy in the world will have leaders thinking along these lines, but then we are dealing with Malaysia where UMNO thinks they can do anything and does.
I will first pose this question as the No 1 issue; and that is to ask the question, CAN AN UMNO MP VOTE WITH PAKATAN AND AGAINST THE UMNO GOVERNMENT ? This is the issue, if an UMNO MP votes with Partai Pakatan on an issue that BN OPPOSES AND PAKATAN IS FOR THE ISSUE; how can BN stop this recalcitrant UMNO MP from voting and if he had voted for Pakatan, CAN HIS VOTE BE VOIDED in Parliament or in the courts (according to law of course). THE ANSWER IS A DEFINITE NO. Why is the answer a NO! because under the CONSTITUTION A bill becomes law only when Parliament passes it by a majority vote that is freely exercised by all Members of Parliament. WHAT DO WE MEAN BY FREELY VOTING IN PARLIAMENT ? It means that every member of Parliament is free to vote according to his own wishes freely exercised.
Therefore if UMNO passes a law in Parliament that prohibited any member (be they UMNO or otherwise) from exercising his vote in Parliament freely, THEN THE LAW IS NONSENSE BECAUSE BY THIS NONSENSE LAW NO MP CAN VOTE OTHER THEN VOTE FOR UMNO ! This means that the Law IS IN CONFLICT WITH THE constitution and it cannot stand.
Let me cast this same issue in another way, if the law that prohibits crossing over is enacted, then because MP cannot cross the floor, then is it not saying that there is no more any need to vote on any laws because by this nonsense law if there are 83 Pakatan MP’s and there are 139 BN MP’s, then there is no need to VOTE because you only need to go to the speaker to say that we have 83 MP’s and BN has 139 MP’s and that means there is NO VOTING ! This construction shows how by this nonsense law the constitution is breached and the law is unconstitutional.
Finally let me say that MP’s representing their constituency REPRESENTS THE PEOPLE, THE MP does not represent the political party from which he is a member. There is no right under any law that restrict the actions of the MP except the right of his constituency to VOTE HIM OUT; nobody else has any power over him and least of all his political party.
There is another issue that I want to argue. There has been a lot of grumbling, protesting that Dato Seri Anwar is unethical and immoral for enticing BN MP’s to cross over. This is nonsense, because as I argued above MP’s are their own masters and that they are beholden to no one except to their constituents. BN has no hold on their MP’s; the only recourse for the BN to take against “cross over” MP’s is to expel him from the PARTY and that too is nonsense because he crossed over to the other side for his own sake, so why bother with membership of BN or UMNO ?
My analysis is on all counts very positive for Dato Seri Anwar to woo and pull BN MP’s to joing with Pakatan to form government; THE SOONER THE BETTER.
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Thanks, yap, for these comments.—-Din Merican
Yapchongyee, thanks fr your intense argument vis-a-vis the anti hopping law as the BN want to call it. My view is I believe just simpler.
1. The BN has over the last 20 years especially been praticising and are guilty of “buying” hoppers from the opposition and have no qualms about doing so all this time. Now that there is a strong probability of the hopping over in the opposite direction (from BN to PR), you guys cry foul – murder more foul than Altantuya’s.
Hey man, fair is fair. What is good for the goose is good for the gander – my English teacher would say. Anyway, why panic ? Maybe hopping may happen only what, so steady lah. And hullo, I am sure the PR will only accept candidates who they know will work for the good of the rakyat. You can keep the scumbags, the murderers, and corrupt – we certainly won’t want them.
2. As for Yap’s comment on MPs (or Aduns in the case of state assemblies) I have always been upset when my MP, despite knowing that certain issues are definitely not good for his constituent, is forced to or buckle under the Party whip to vote according to the Party’s wishes. Hullo, neither the Party nor the Whip voted you, we the rakyat did. If you don’t vote with your conscience and without my/our interest at heart and you expect me to continue to vote for you again?? Porrrdah !! Do that and another March 8 will always happen-we the voters will kick you out. So just remember, BN MPs and ADUNs, your constituents have all woken up. Those of you who managed to scrape through this time around, your status is no more guaranteed. Play the racial game, play dirty, fill your pockets illegally and be prepared to be out in the streets the next time Elections come around.
3.As for the ever brainless argument that the election of the PR will result in serious disadvantage to the Malays, I am certain that the PR govt is responsible and will work towards rebuilding a Malaysia for all.
4. The hullabaloo raised (by again the BN) re-the pig farm matter should be put to rest. The fact is that the previous Selangor govt did approve the project, the previous govt did enjoy a trip to Europe to study pig farming programs and methods there (Photographic proof already ‘flying ” all over the internet) and it is very clear to all that the protest and objection from Khir Toyol and his co-conspirators is due to the fact that they had intended to profit from the program – sadly for them, they are forced to see the wang babi slip out of their hands. Need we remind them that Wang babi is unclean ah? Incidentally, let us now not be ‘conned’ by these self righteous ex Selangor govt. that Pig rearing is not permitted in any Muslim country – just check out :
http://www.smh.com.au/news/africa/pig-farms-
bloom-in-muslim-country-thanks-to-tourists
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anak Malaysia, we need people with high calibre who are prepared to serve the rakyat. Those types you mentioned should be in gaol and made to pay for their sins of corruption and abuse of power including murder. I do not understand why we must call them YBs and YABs; I have another word with the same sound.—Din Merican