Anwar's agreement a formula for dictatorship, claims Mas Ermieyati

Former deputy law minister Mas Ermieyati Samsudin claims that prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s memorandum of agreement with several other parties preluded to dictatorship by the latter.

She claimed that Article 4 of the agreement requiring MPs to vote for the premier during confidence votes at the risk of losing their seats contravened Article 49A of the Federal Constitution.

Article 49A stipulates the conditions for an MP to cease to be a member of the Dewan Rakyat.

“This agreement is illegal, unconstitutional, dangerous, and unenforceable. Article 49A does not cause any parliamentary seat to be vacated because of the manner an MP votes.

“There is no such thing in Article 49A. It only deals with a situation where an MP resigns or ceases to be a member of his party,” she said in a statement today.

Mas Ermieyati (above) said the parliamentary select committee tasked with drafting the anti-hopping law stipulated in a July 18 report that an MP who does not vote according to party directions will not lose his seat under Article 49A.

“Surely, Anwar and the party leaders are not ignorant of this bipartisan select committee report.

“Clearly, they deceitfully chose to ignore it in a desperate attempt to frighten and intimidate their own MPs into toeing the line, despite the damage it does to parliamentary democracy,” she said.

Article 4 of the agreement signed by Pakatan Harapan, BN, GPS, GRS, and Warisan yesterday stipulated that MPs in the unity government who fail to vote or support the prime minister in motions relating to confidence votes, supply bills, or procedural motions with effect on the federal government’s stability will be deemed to have resigned.

As a result, the MP’s seat will be vacated in accordance with Article 49A(1) of the Federal Constitution, and the MP’s party must notify the Dewan Rakyat speaker of the vacancy, for notice to be given to the Election Commission to hold a by-election.

However, Mas Ermieyati maintained that Anwar could not rely on Article 49A to vote in support of him during his confidence vote, slated for Monday, Dec 19.

She said the Federal Constitution gave absolute freedom to MPs to vote as they deem fit, urging Dewan Rakyat members to not be intimidated by the agreement.

“The threat and intimidation created by this agreement against MPs from government parties is a prelude to dictatorship.

“This new form of despotism has never been seen before in Malaysian political and parliamentary history,” she said.

Cooperation pact: Penang Harapan awaits further instructions

Anwar, party leaders sign ‘historic’ agreement

MPs voting against govt motions will lose seats under cooperation pact

COMMENT | A tale of two Malaysias

Fadillah: Party chiefs backing Anwar to sign agreement tomorrow