PN repeats its objection on government's 'unconstitutional' MoU

KUALA LUMPUR - Opposition leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin reiterates his utmost dissapointment with the controversial Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by government MPs which carries an auto-resignation clause if they are to vote against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

It cuts lawmakers' freedom of speech, stressed the Larut MP at press conference held after Parliament adjourned, without mincing a word.

"It's like you force someone to sign and vote for them. This is unfair.

"We are not against the vote of confidence, it is more about the instrument used (MoU)", he said while showing the MuU document.

In spite of the MoU, the vote of confidence which Anwar won, was done through a voice vote instead of show of hands which could have explicitly illustrated the latter's actual number of support in the Dewan Rakyat.

On Thursday, the five major political party alliances namely PH, BN, GPS, GRS and Warisan signed an MoU in Putrajaya to form Unity Government.

The MoU was signed by PH secretary general, Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail; BN secretary general, Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir, GRS secretary general, Datuk Masidi Manjun; GPS secretary general, Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi, and Warisan secretary general, Datuk Loretto Padua Jr, witnessed by all the coalition chairmen involved.

Among the conditions in the Unity Government agreement document is binding any Member of Parliament who fails, refuses and is negligent to maintain the legitimacy of the Malaysian Unity Government in any vote in Parliament to vacate their seats immediately.

The document explains among other things that each coalition party must vote to support the Prime Minister in motions related to motions of confidence, supplies and or any motions in the form of procedures that have an effect on the legitimacy of the Federal Government.

Also outlined is that each party must be responsible for managing internally to ensure Parliament's support to maintain the Malaysian Unity Government in any vote.

The MoU became more noticable when MIC who is under BN claims that the conditions contained in the MoU was never discussed by the BN.

Its secretary general, RT Rajasekaran pointed out that BN supreme council had never called any meeting before the coalition decided to sign it last week adding that the last meeting its upper echelons had was on November 22.

He stressed that under the BN Constitution, the chairman of the coalition does not have the authority to make any decisions relating to BN MPs without consulting the component parties in the coalition.