Opposition MPs warned against joining Umno rebels to bring down PM
“What is important to note is that even if the prime minister loses the majority, it doesn’t mean that any opposition leader has enough MPs backing him to form the government”
(MalaysiaNow) – A constitutional lawyer has challenged the notion that Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin should step down if the 2021 budget is defeated today, saying it is not only simplistic, but also oblivious to the reality on the ground and the “nebulous ongoing parliamentary numbers game”.
Speaking to MalaysiaNow on condition of anonymity “because any view risks being politicised in the present fevered political atmosphere”, the senior lawyer said determining the confidence in the prime minister could be either in the floor of the House or outside the House, in line with the 2009 Perak case precedent.
“What is important to note is that even if the prime minister loses the majority, it doesn’t mean that any opposition leader has enough MPs backing him to form the government,” he said ahead of a crucial vote on the 2021 budget today, seen as a vote of confidence for the nine-month-old government.
Opposition MPs from Pakatan Harapan have disputed Muhyiddin’s support in the Dewan Rakyat despite the Yang di-Pertuan Agong naming him in February as the person who commands the backing of the most MPs to form the government.
