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You’re wrong, precedent set by Perak crisis, PH tells AG

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Opposition coalition’s legal committee says loss of confidence in prime minister need not be established only by a vote of confidence in Parliament.

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Free Malaysia Today
Pakatan Harapan has accused Attorney-General Idrus Harun of ‘acting more like a Perikatan Nasional politician instead of defending the supremacy of the law’.

PETALING JAYA:
Pakatan Harapan has doubled down on its criticism of Attorney-General Idrus Harun, saying he was wrong in stating that Muhyiddin Yassin remains the prime minister until his parliamentary majority is tested in Parliament.

The opposition coalition’s legal committee said that the loss of confidence in the prime minister need not be established only by a vote of confidence in Parliament.

They argued that a precedent was set by the 2009 Perak constitutional crisis where the Sultan appointed Zambry Abdul Kadir of Umno to succeed PAS’ Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin as menteri besar following a series of defections.

“The statement by Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi that his party is withdrawing its support for the Tan Sri Muhyiddin-led Perikatan Nasional government indicates very clearly that the PM has ceased to command the confidence of the majority of members of Parliament,” they said in a statement.

It was issued by William Leong, Sivarasa Rasiah, Fadhlina Sidek of PKR; Mohamed Hanipa Maidin, Muhammad Faiz Fadzil and Zulqarnain Lukman of Amanah and DAP’s Ramkarpal Singh.

They went on to say that under such circumstances it was incumbent upon the prime minister to tender his resignation and that of the Cabinet unless he requests for Parliament to be dissolved.

If Muhyiddin fails to do so, the King, they said, may direct the prime minister to convene an immediate Parliament sitting for a motion of confidence to be tabled.

“If he refuses, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is entitled to dismiss him and appoint another member of parliament who enjoys the support of the majority as prime minister.”

Yesterday, Idrus said the government has yet to have any clear facts that proved Muhyiddin had lost the majority support of MPs.

Citing Article 43(2)(a) of the Federal Constitution, Idrus said whether or not an individual held the majority support of MPs must be determined by the MPs themselves, not through statements from political parties or leaders.

This led to PH accusing Idrus of “acting more like a Perikatan Nasional politician instead of defending the supremacy of the law”.

Umno had announced that it was withdrawing its support for Muhyiddin as prime minister, with Zahid calling for his resignation after a Supreme Council meeting which lasted over four hours.

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