Muhyiddin’s proposal described as “insincere”, a “bribe” and a “desperate” move to ensure his political survival.
Pakatan Harapan has squarely rejected Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s “insincere” offers to the opposition that were made in exchange for bipartisan support.
In its presidential council statement signed by PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng and Amanah president Mohamad Sabu, the coalition said Muhyiddin’s plea proved that he had lost command of parliamentary majority.
“This necessitates the execution of Article 43(4) of the Federal Constitution, in which he (Muhyiddin) has to resign. For the first time in the country’s history, a prime minister has openly admitted his loss of majority and is subsequently insisting for the opposition’s support.”
PH also alleged that the offers made by Muhyiddin were forms of bribery and claimed the latter had cast aside the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s prerogative under Article 43(2)(a) of the Federal Constitution, for stating that none of the current members of parliament possessed the command of majority.
It added that this is also the first time a prime minister “without legitimacy” has offered “blatant corruption” in a “live” television broadcast in front of all Malaysian citizens.
“Hence, we reject the insincere offers made by Muhyiddin. Those were things that should have been implemented earlier and not upon reaching the end his political lifeline.
“The focus should instead be given on saving the people’s lives and not his political career.”
PKR communications director Fahmi Fadzil
Fahmi said he was really taken aback when a prime minister openly admitted that he has lost his majority during a live telecast.
The matter of making an offer or any other thing does not arise anymore. What needs to be done now is to follow the Federal Constitution – either he resigns, or he advises the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to dissolve Parliament.
What Muhyiddin tried to do this evening was opting for a third choice, which is unconstitutional.
And secondly, borrowing what Dewan Rakyat deputy speaker had said, this is a dollar short a day late. It is already too late for him.
Bernama
Muhyiddin is desperate, and he is also in no position to make all these offers, which were already our ideas.
On the issue of Undi18, we passed that in 2019. It was his administration that delayed the execution. And so is the proposal to limit a prime minister to only two terms, it’s our idea. It stopped because of the Sheraton Move, of which he is the prime beneficiary.
So, he has the gall to offer us so-called scraps. To me, fundamentally from the point of view of the Constitution, this could be ultra vires, beyond his powers, whatever he has (left).
I don’t think he is in a position to make any offers or to remain as prime minister. I think he has to tender his resignation tonight.
Pejuang president Mukhriz Mahathir
Where in the Federal Constitution does it say that a prime minister who has lost the majority cannot resign until another MP with a majority is identified.
Did Muhyiddin just gaslight us just now? Did I hear him offer us a bribe to support him and his minority government? Did he offer to stay on as prime minister and will remain incumbent prime minister when the 15th general election happens in July 2022? Are we stupid or what?
Anti-party hopping law? Hello! Your government exists due to those ‘frogs’, including you Muhyiddin! Undi18? It’s already gotten two-thirds votes in Parliament. Just execute it.
While Muhyiddin claims he rejects kleptocracy, he offers money to opposition MPs in exchange for support. If this isn’t hypocrisy, I don’t know what is.
Muhyiddin’s rhetoric sounds like he’s denying Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s right to appoint as prime minister an MP who in his judgment is likely to command the confidence of the majority of MPs.
Pejuang deputy president Marzuki Yahya
Pejuang stands with our decision and we will not accept any kind of offer. The most important thing now is that we see him as a prime minister who no longer has the support from the majority.
He does not even have to prove it. Because he really does not have the support anymore. So, what he should do now is step down as prime minister.
Muhyiddin is also not in the position to determine whether the opposition parties have the majority to appoint a new premier. That is under the purview of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
We will not consider his offer. He is only doing this now because he is losing and trying to openly offer bribes to all MPs.
This is what is called the ‘scheme of things’.
Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh
My biggest problem with PN is the incompetency of their cabinet ministers that has led Malaysia to where we are today.
Today’s speech does not address that incompetency and changes nothing in helping Malaysia out of the current mess.
Klang MP Charles Santiago
His (Muhyiddin) announcement today seems that he doesn’t have the majority (support).
The prime minister is desperate. Out of desperation, he is reaching out. It’s game over for him.
Santiago said that Muhyiddin was given a chance to govern but pointed to the state of the pandemic now as testimony to his failure.
On whether this government should be given an extension – the answer is no.
If the opposition supports him, then we support his failures.
Kepong MP Lim Lip Eng
Lim said he rejected all the government’s proposals.
I reject Muhyiddin’s carrot-and-stick approach because I do not trust him. I want him to resign now.
Bukit Mertajam MP Steven Sim
Sim rejected Muhyiddin’s excuse that he could not allow the “kleptocrats” back in power.
They usurped power and ruled for more than a year, causing untold suffering and death with the help of so-called kleptocrats, and now they want to be heroes to keep us away from the kleptocrats?
He also questioned if the “No DAP” tagline often touted was now no longer relevant since the government was offering the bipartisan deal to his party too.
Kota Kinabalu MP Chan Foong Hin
Dear outgoing prime minister, thanks for your input on those reforms the country deserves.
You recognise PN has lost the majority of MPs today albeit you lied when you declared you still had the support during an audience with Agong last week.
If Pakatan Harapan is part of the new government, rest assured we would implement the above-mentioned reforms better than you!
Times up. Please step down.
Subang MP Wong Chen
Many of Muhyiddin’s proposals for a more inclusive administration are “ripped off” from Pakatan Harapan’s manifesto, says one of the document’s authors, Wong Chen.
It’s a great irony. This is a man who betrayed PH and the voters, disassociated himself from us and our ideals through the Sheraton Move.
And just over a year later, he is taking PH’s ideas in a desperate bid to remain in power.
Wong said he had a “counter-proposal” for Muhyiddin if he was so determined to see reforms in the country.
Since he has lost majority support, he can instead choose to be the opposition and support the new Cabinet to pass these reforms.
Since these are our ideas, we will have the political will to implement them.
Petaling Jaya MP Maria Chin Abdullah
If you (PN) can’t do the job. Then let others do it. It shows that they can’t manage (the country).
It is too late. I feel the government has failed us.
Maria said it appeared that the government has lost control in the management of the pandemic.
I’m really angry to see people dying daily. I lost my nephew, and this is getting personal.
You (Muhyiddin) put us in lockdowns, but there are no results. The health system has broken down.
Maria added that if Muhyiddin wanted to do the right thing, then he should follow the constitution and resign.
“It is not the easiest thing to do. It is the right thing to do.”
Batu MP P Prabakaran
Prabakaran said he will not be lured by Muhyiddin’s offers.
I would rather stay on as an opposition member and continue to fight for him to resign immediately, as he has agreed that he doesn’t have the numbers.
All these last-minute sweet offers to the opposition are to save him and keep him in power, which must not happen.
He said that Muhyiddin must resign immediately, and this should be his last speech before he resigns.
Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman
Only when he is on the verge of losing his power and position that he calls the opposition to have a sit-down.
The prime minister’s special address today was full of hypocrisy and tricks. All this was only an attempt to stay one day longer than he deserves, after losing his majority in the Dewan Rakyat.
Only now has it come to his senses to give equal allocation to opposition MPs. For almost two years the opposition MPs were denied a fair allocation amount by the PN government. Has the prime minister forgotten how the opposition appealed to him to give us an equal budget?
Now he comes to the extent of making all sorts of offers just to stay in power, the power he already lost.
It is time for Muhyiddin to do the honourable, which is to step down.
Please resign immediately.
Muda secretary-general Amir Abd Hadi
Muda takes it that the offer made was only a trick to get an extension of time when they are on the verge of a collapse. All these offers could have been made a long time ago, not now when they already lost the majority.
There was nothing stopping them, for example, to implement Undi18 which was passed not only with a two-thirds majority but also received full support from MPs.
Damage has been done by the PN government, including expenditures that were not tabled and debated in Parliament. Parliament was closed, they failed to manage the pandemic and there’s the ‘scheme of things’ they did to buy over support.
Today, almost every day the rakyat are getting arrested and investigated for voicing out their views, because of the pressure by a failed government.
The statement by Muhyiddin that no bloc has the majority is nonsense. The majority needs to be proven through a vote of no confidence which must be done as soon as possible in Parliament, and not only through a mere statement by him.
Resign now.
Simpang Renggam MP Maszlee Malik
I stand with Pakatan Harapan in rejecting strongly rejecting Muhyiddin offer because it legitimises using money politics to remain in power.
Strangely, he has proposed several reform agendas whereas the most important political reform is to eradicate money politics. The focus should be given to saving the people rather than his political career […]
Warisan, PSB, Upko, Muda
We strongly reject the offer made by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.
Since last year, opposition parties have proposed to stabilise the government through a confidence and supply agreement.
Although Muhyiddin became prime minister and formed government through the back door, we were ready to compromise for the people’s welfare.
However, Muhyiddin had arrogantly turned down the opposition’s offer.
The parties also reiterated calls for Muhyiddin’s resignation, pointing out the hypocrisy of offering reforms such as the anti-party hopping law, when PN was formed through defections.
The joint statement was signed by Warisan president Shafie Apdal, Muda president Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, Upko president Wilfred Madius Tangau, PSB’s Baru Bian.
Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi
Umno cannot consider any offers made by an illegitimate prime minister, party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said today in rejecting Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s bipartisan support call in exchange for reforms.
Zahid in a statement also described Muhyiddin’s offer as desperate and a form of open bribery in order to cling on to power.
Umno vice-president Khaled Nordin
Umno vice-president Khaled Nordin in a statement said there was no excuse for Muhyiddin to delay his resignation after conceding a loss of majority support in Parliament.
Respected prime minister, your time has come. The game is over!
Hand over the power and government back to the people, let the people decide the next step.
Related report: Aug 13, Muhyiddin seeks opposition support ahead of confidence motion to stay in power