Move on no-confidence vote unlikely
But this does not mean there will not be any other development taking place besides the King’s speech.
(The Star) – TAN Sri Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof (pic) may have vast experience in law as the former Court of Appeal judge, yet nothing could have prepared him for the political drama when he assumed the post of Dewan Rakyat Speaker.
Considered a soft-spoken judge, he is nevertheless seen as firm, impartial and independent in his role as Speaker on matters of the House.
In an unexpected move, Mohamad Ariff has accepted a motion from Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad seeking to move a vote of no confidence against Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin in Dewan Rakyat.
However, analysts agree that there is very little chance for the motion to come up during the one-day sitting on Monday as in the past, government’s affairs have taken precedence.
To reiterate this point, Mohamad Ariff issued a statement that the meeting – the first session of the year – would only feature the opening address by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and that there would not be any other government business to attend to for that day.
“I received a letter signed by the Prime Minister who is the Ketua Majlis, informing that as the Covid-19 outbreak has not completely subsided, the government decided that the first meeting of the third session of the 14th Parliament would only take place for a day on May 18.
“There will be no meeting after the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s opening address,” he said.
Initially, a few matters were already set for the one-day meeting, including the supposed declaration of the Opposition Leader’s appointment and the tabling of two Supplementary Supply Bills – much of it related to the Covid-19 fiscal stimulus package.
With Mohamad Ariff’s statement, this pretty much put paid to those looking forward to see whether the no-confidence motion would come up.
But this does not mean there will not be any other development taking place besides the King’s speech.
When the meeting convenes on Monday, 113 lawmakers will be sitting on the ruling coalition’s side while 107 MPs will be on the opposite bench, making it one of the largest Opposition bloc in the country’s history.
There are also two Independent MPs.
