PM invited no-confidence motion tabling twice, Fahmi tells PAS leader

Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil has reminded a PAS leader that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had invited the opposition to file a no-confidence motion against him twice in Parliament last year.

Fahmi said this in rubbishing Pasir Mas MP Ahmad Fadhli Shaari’s remarks that there is no guarantee that Dewan Rakyat speaker Johari Abdul will allow a no-confidence bid against the premier.

"Not true. He (Anwar) has thrown down the gauntlet twice before, even promising to cut down the time required to file the motion.

"Maybe Pasir Mas (Fadhli) has forgotten, or is too lazy to remember," Fahmi said today on X.

With the post, Fahmi appended two news clippings of Anwar urging the opposition to move a no-confidence vote against the premier and even pledging to shorten the time frame for the process from two weeks to three days.

The news clippings were dated May and July last year, respectively.

Yesterday, Anwar said the opposition did not have the numbers to initiate a vote of no confidence in Parliament.

“… For a long time, they (opposition) have not brought (a motion of no confidence). It has been a year (since the coalition government came into power). We have been waiting daily (for the motion), but it has not come.

“So we don’t think about it. I don’t think they have the strength to bring it (vote of no confidence) apart from using propaganda to hoodwink their supporters for them to not lose their spirits,” he was quoted as saying by Bernama.

Fadhli had told Free Malaysia Today that Perikatan Nasional MPs tried to table several motions in the Dewan Rakyat last year, including one seeking an explanation on Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s conditional discharge in a corruption case, but they were rejected outright.

The PAS information chief’s comment came following Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Abdul Karim's reminder for the opposition to file the motion before Parliament convenes on Feb 26.

'Study the house rules'

Johari confirmed to Berita Harian that the opposition has yet to file any no-confidence motion against the prime minister, with just weeks remaining before the next parliamentary session.

"We have not received any such motion. Any MP can file any motion, even though Parliament is not yet in session.

"It is up to the speaker whether to accept or reject the motion, and the decision will be announced during the Parliamentary session," he was quoted as saying by the Malay daily.

The speaker further urged all MPs to study parliamentary rules to know more about the process surrounding the acceptance or rejection of a motion.

"If the motion follows parliamentary rules, I will consider it. They (MPs) should understand that I'm bound to the rules and cannot make a ruling as I wish.

"Study and scrutinise the house rules," he said.

Johari assured that there are no restrictions to any MPs in filing any motion, although the said motion had been presented before.

"What matters is the presented motion follows the house rules,” he added.

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