PETALING JAYA: It is unnecessary for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to table a motion for a vote of confidence when Parliament commences on Dec 19, DAP lawmaker Ramkarpal Singh says.
“It is clear now that he enjoys an overwhelming majority in excess of 140 seats.
“Historically, the requirement to have confidence has been guided by constitutional convention which is the case in the United Kingdom and other commonwealth countries.
“Boris Johnson survived a vote of confidence in June, 2022 by securing a majority of only 59% of Members of Parliament from his party for him to remain their leader while Theresa May fared better by securing 63% in 2018.
“In both cases, it was clear that Johnson and May did not have comfortable majorities and as such, there was a need to test their support by such confidence motions,” he said in a statement today.
Ramkarpal also pointed out that Anwar’s statement that he was going to test his leadership in the lower house was made before former prime minister and Perikatan Nasional chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin conceded that PN will perform check and balance as opposition.
“No doubt, a vote of confidence ought to be encouraged when there are doubts as to whether a government has the majority in Parliament, for instance when Perikatan Nasional came into power after the Sheraton move.
“In that instance, Muhyiddin ought to have done so as it was unclear if he had the support of at least 112 Members of Parliament and his failure to do so rightly drew considerable criticism in the circumstances.
“With Muhyiddin’s said concession and confirmation that PN will provide a check and balance to the government by being in the opposition, the need for a vote of confidence by PH does not arise.
“It would be better to focus on the budget and prepare thoroughly for the same in the upcoming parliamentary sitting instead of wasting time on a vote of confidence which serves no purpose now.”
