'Minorities controlling majority' cries PAS Youth chief on PM term limit

Summary

• PAS Youth chief claims 'minorities' are trying to determine the fate of the 'majority' by amending the Federal Constitution.

• Afnan Hamimi’s tally of the government's majority support is also out of date.

• UPDATED 11.05AM | Bersih criticises Afnan, expresses disbelief over the Alor Setar MP's objection.

DAP's push for a prime minister term limit - as promised by Pakatan Harapan - has triggered a racially-charged response from PAS Youth chief Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamudden.

Instead of seeing it as a democratic reform, Afnan viewed it as an attempt by the "minority" to dictate the "majority" by dismantling the Constitution.

"One by one they are trying to unravel the Federal Constitution and change it according to their whims.

"This is the situation in our country. The fate of those of us in the majority are being determined by those who were originally the minority," he said on Facebook yesterday.

The Federal Constitution does not set any limits on how long a prime minister can serve, and making amendments to the supreme document is perceived to be the best way to cement such reforms.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has expressed support for term limits and said it can be brought in the next Parliament sitting if a two-thirds majority is guaranteed.

Wrong calculation

Afnan in his post made erroneous arithmetic regarding the number of MPs on the government's side.

He claimed that the government has 147 MPs - one short of a two-thirds majority - and managed to pass a recent constitutional amendment regarding parliamentary autonomy with support from Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman.

However, the government actually has 153 MPs on its side after six MPs - who are now independents - switched allegiances from Perikatan Nasional to the government last year.

A check on the Parliament Hansard showed that the constitutional amendment vote on March 4 was passed thanks to the support of these six MPs and Syed Saddiq.

Six other government MPs were not in attendance that day.

Perplexing objection

Afnan's racial take on the issue has attracted criticisms from Bersih and a Johor DAP leader.

In a statement, Bersih chairperson Faisal Abdul Aziz said he could not understand the logic behind the Alor Setar MP's objection.

"I don't understand why efforts to put a limit on the prime minister's term are being objected to? Furthermore, when it comes from an MP.

"This is one of the efforts to prevent centralisation of power in the event a prime minister clings to the position for a long period. This would reveal whatever abuse of power by the government, in particular the prime minister.

"At the same time, when there is a limit on prime minister term, a prime minister would strive to implement policies and programmes more efficiently, which would benefit the rakyat," he said on Facebook.

Faisal urged politicians and MPs to come together and support the plan.

‘Naive and stupid’

On the same note, Johor DAP deputy chairperson Sheikh Umar Bagharib Ali lambasted Afnan for trying to spin the issue.

"What the DAP secretary-general (Anthony Loke) had said (about limiting the PM term) was far different from what Afnan implies.

"Was Afnan deliberately trying to create a cheap negative propaganda or was he really that naive and stupid?” he asked.

Umar pointed out that what Loke said and was agreed to by Anwar was aimed at preventing a prime minister from holding power for too long and turning into a dictator.

"It is also to prevent centralisation of power caused by long periods of ruling and can prevent damages, abuse of power and tyranny," he added.

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