I am super amused reading the current imbroglio in the Kedah state assembly as widely covered in the local media recently.

Although in theory - under the Whitehall parliamentary system which Malaysia practises (well, of a sort) - the power is said to be in the hands of voters, but that is only on election day. After that vote is cast, we are powerless to do anything as all decisions and directions are made irrespective of what the rakyat thinks.

We are no longer of any value and have no say , we can shout as loud as we want and demonstrate as much as we can but the only thing we will get in return is police tear gas and some free accommodation at His Majesty’s prison slapped with a whole load of bizarre charges.

In Malaysia, our representatives are no selected by voters, they are selected by the party and shoved upon us to vote or not. That’s how all Malaysian party operates.

In the original Whitehall parliamentary democracy concept, candidates are not chosen by the party leadership, but by what is called “the constituency parties”.

The way this operates is say, Taman Tun Dr Ismail DAP or Jinjang Umno party members, would get together and vote on their candidates for both national and local elections (England does not have state elections).

Therefore, the power is in the hands of the voters/party members, and not the party leadership.

This way, the elected representatives are very mindful about their obligations to the constituency and do not blindly support laws, regulations or moves by the party leadership. Many times, party proposed plans are shelved as their own party representatives didn’t support it due to grassroots objections.

'Do whatever the party tells you'

In Malaysia, we don’t have any of these ‘inconveniences’ as far as the party leadership is concerned. You just do whatever the party leadership tells you. I am not saying this is correct, but this is how MBs get their jobs in the first place.

If the leadership later does not want you - although you are popular with the rakyat based on your Facebook ‘likes’ - then you have to go. Once the party decides that, then it is presented to the state ruler for his consent or otherwise.

There are no two ways about it. Don’t delude yourself by thinking otherwise.

It is similar in football teams - no matter how much the fans adore you, if the coach does not wish to play you, you can’t object... but you can refuse to leave the playing field.

So, in the case of the Menteri Besar issue in Kedah - and previously in Selangor, and much earlier in Terengganu - the sitting MBs all had illusions of grandeur.

Whether we like the current PM and his party is not relevant here, the protocol is that if the party does not want you (whether fairly or otherwise) you have to go.

The controversy now is not that Umno wishes to replace its Kedah MB - that is the party’s right; the controversy is that the current sitting MB thinks he can stay there as the ‘rakyat supports him’ as seen when many turned up to cheer for him. The support may be real and substantive, but it still does not matter.

What matters is whether your party leadership supports you or not. It is obvious, otherwise the moves to replace Mukhriz Mahathir would not have started in the first place.

While on the subject of “support” did these people have police clearance, and why did the police not charge them with illegal assembly?

Once again, members of past cabinets suddenly seem to have found new fervour in defending the ideals of parliamentary democracy.

Although they had never went on record to object against ‘un-parliamentarily’ tactics when they were being driven around with taxpayers-paid drivers, cars and outriders when in power - with the exception of former minister Zainuddin Maidin, who got it correct .

The party and the PM is supreme, nothing can stop them. The ease of which the National Security Bill, the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA), the National Budget and so on, gets bulldozed in Parliament shows that we can do zilch about it.

Election day is the only solution but even that - based on experience - looks like a far-flung dream, as achievable as Malaysia winning the next world cup, of any sport.