KJ rejects Zahid's fixed term plan, calls it undemocratic

SHAH ALAM - Former Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin has rejected the suggestion to establish an Act for Fixed Parliamentary Terms.

The proposal, brought forth by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, was labelled undemocratic by Khairy.

He said that if Zahid's proposal resembled the system in the United Kingdom (UK), where the Prime Minister could dissolve Parliament and call for elections at any time with the King's consent, it might be more palatable.

“In the UK, similar to Malaysia, there's a five-year period.

"However, David Cameron introduced the Parliamentary System Act, setting fixed parliamentary terms with elections automatically scheduled for the first Thursday of May every five years.

"Exceptions are made only via a no-confidence vote in Parliament or a two-thirds majority vote for early elections,” he said.

Khairy shared his views on the "Podcast Keluar Sekejap," co-hosted with former Umno Information Chief Shahril Hamdan on YouTube.

It was reported that Zahid suggested drafting legislation for fixed parliamentary terms to ensure government stability until the end of the term or the next general election.

He argued that this would prevent political manipulations and ensure national stability.

Meanwhile, Khairy proposed to the Speaker and the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform), Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said to implement a no-confidence vote with a stipulation that it requires a letter signed by 15 or 20 MPs.

“To validate the government's legitimacy, challenges should only come through Parliament, not through alternative means like Langkah Dubai or sworn declarations.

"My concrete suggestion to the Speaker and Law Minister is to require a letter signed by 15 or 20 MPs for such a motion to be debated,” he said.

In the meantime, he said the opposition would strategise to avoid weekly no-confidence votes, which he believed would bore the public.