The opposition was 15 MPs short today
For example, let’s say Muhyiddin has just 100 MPs with him, down from 113 on 1st March 2020. Does Anwar Ibrahim have more than 100? Does Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad have more than 100? Does Tengku Razaleigh have more than 100? Who has more than 100 MPs with him or her?
NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin
The question, today, is NOT whether Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has or had not less than 112 MPs with him. Even if Muhyiddin had, say, just 100 MPs with him, the question is: does anyone else have more than that, meaning more than 100 MPs with him or her?
It really does not matter whether Muhyiddin still does, or does not, have 113 MPs with him — like he did back on 1st March 2020 when he got sworn in as prime minister. No doubt, Muhyiddin needed at least 112 MPs to get sworn in as the prime minister or PM8. But he does not need 112 MPs to stay on as prime minister. He just needs a simple majority.
And this is where most Malaysians are confused (or Pakatan Harapan has confused Malaysians). “Majority” does not mean 112 MPs. Majority means 50% plus one MP at any time a vote it taken.
Say a Bill to legalise gay marriages is tabled in parliament and there are only 150 MPs in the dewan on that day (two-thirds would be 148 MPs). That Bill will need 76 MPs, not 112 MPs, to pass. However, if it involves an amendment to the Constitution (or to increase the number of parliament seats from 222 to, say, 240) then you will need two-thirds of the MPs present in the dewan that day, or 100 MPs — 76 MPs is not enough.
The impression that Pakatan Harapan is creating is Muhyiddin needs 112 MPs with him — and since he does not, then nothing can get passed through parliament. No, tak betul tu!
That was the reason why Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah said he was boycotting parliament today. Since he is absent, then his “head” would not be counted. So, the majority would be calculated based on less one MP.
Actually, Tengku Razaleigh was doing Muhyiddin a favour.
If would be good if ALL the anti-Muhyiddin MPs boycotted parliament, like what Tengku Razaleigh wanted. If, say, only 100 MPs attended parliament, then all Muhyiddin needs is 51 MPs to get the bills passed by parliament. With 67 MPs, Muhyiddin can even amend the Federal Constitution of Malaysia to, say, make it illegal to criticise the prime minister.
Anyway, as I said in the first paragraph: the question, today, is NOT whether Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has or had not less than 112 MPs with him. Even if Muhyiddin had, say, just 100 MPs with him, the question is: does anyone else have more than that, meaning more than 100 MPs with him or her?
So, this is not about whether Muhyiddin has 113, 110, 100 or just 90 MPs with him. It is whether anyone else has more MPs with him or her compared to Muhyiddin?
For example, let’s say Muhyiddin has just 100 MPs with him, down from 113 on 1st March 2020. Does Anwar Ibrahim have more than 100? Does Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad have more than 100? Does Tengku Razaleigh have more than 100? Who has more than 100 MPs with him or her?
Even if Muhyiddin has only 100 MPs with him, and not 113, as some say, no one else has more than 100. So, even with just 100 MPs, Muhyiddin wins. That is how it works. Don’t like it? Too bad! That is how the Westminster parliamentary system works. That is why I prefer Iran’s Islamic Consultative Assembly system with Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong as its spiritual head.
