Pandikar: Give me list of MPs who back no confidence move

KUALA LUMPUR: Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia (pic) has told the Opposition to submit a list of MPs who support of a motion of no confidence against the Prime Minister.

"I am aware that they have 89 MPs and this has not changed," he said, noting that the split between PAS and Parti Amanah Negara had further eroded the possibility of such a list.

Seven out of the 21 PAS MPs recently left the Islamist party to form Amanah.

"If they can give me a list, say more than 90 or 100 names, then I can pressure the Government that there must be debate," he told reporters at Parliament lobby on Wednesday.

Pandikar cited the case of Sabah where a list signed by a majority of assemblymen was taken as an indication by the then Chief Minister Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan that had lost the confidence of the legislative assembly.

He added that Pairin had taken list to the Yang Di-Pertua of Sabah (Governor) to seek a dissolution of the state assembly and a re-election.

"However, the Yang Di-Pertua decided that there was no need to dissolve the assembly as it reflected the results of the election.

"The Yang Di-Pertua instead appointed a new Chief Minister from among the Barisan Nasional assemblymen," he said.

Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), headed by Pairin, won the state election in 1994 and formed the state government.

However, there were several defections to Barisan, resulting in Pairin stepping down.

On the current issue, the Pandikar said that tabling a motion of no confidence was not the only way to oust the Prime Minister.

"It is not necessary that a vote of no confidence must be done by way of a motion.

"It could come orally if the Budget is defeated as this would be akin to a vote of no confidence," he said.

On Monday, Opposition leader Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said Pakatan Harapan had agreed to retract Hee Loy Sian’s (PKR-PJ Selatan) motion of no confidence again Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to allow her to submit a fresh motion.

However, on Tuesday, Pandikar reminded Dr Wan Azizah that her application may not fulfil Standing Orders which required 14 days notice before the start of Parliament proceedings.

He said any such motion could only be submitted at the next Parliament meeting, in March next year.