PETALING JAYA: The Yang di-Pertuan Agong could proclaim a state of Emergency and set up a National Operations Council (NOC) if there is no MP who can prove they have majority support in the Dewan Rakyat, says the National Council of Professors (NCP).
NCP president Prof Datuk Dr Raduan Che Rose said the new NOC would be a temporary measure to ensure the smooth running of the country before the 15th General Election can be safely held.
"The resignation of Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as prime minister was done based on the Federal Constitution.
"The Yang di-Pertuan Agong has to appoint a new prime minister, one who can garner majority support of Parliament to lead the nation until GE15.
"If not even one MP has the majority support, we are confident that the King will use his wisdom to find a way out as the current situation is not a suitable time to hold GE15.
"In that situation, the NCP is confident that the King could proclaim a state of emergency and form a NOC, which could be chaired by an individual consented to by His Majesty," said Prof Raduan in a statement on Tuesday (Aug 17).
He added that it would be best if the said individual is someone who has wide experience in governance, is respected and accepted by all parties, and also "does not have any ambitions to become the prime minister through GE15".
"This is a temporary measure before it is suitable for GE15 to be held to form a government according to the Federal Constitution," he said.
Prof Raduan added that under a new Emergency proclamation, authorities could draft several important ordinances to enable the Election Commission to plan and execute the general election according to standard operating procedures to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.
"If the new SOP can be drafted and is ready for implementation, the interim prime minister or NOC could carry out their duties for a limited period until GE15 is held.
"The NCP is also of the view that the new government or NOC must work to rebuild national political cooperation for long-term national political stability.
"The national political cooperation must be made up of all major segments of the community and stakeholders, including Sabah and Sarawak," he said, adding that Malaysia needed a national consensus to be reached, consequently developing a solid "consociational democracy", thus engineering the birth of a "grand national coalition" representing all main groups and interests of the nation.
Prof Raduan said this was the base for long-term stability and a means to foster a stronger sense of unity among multiracial Malaysians.
