KUALA LUMPUR: A vote of confidence was not required by law but Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim says he chose to go through with it for moral legitimacy.
“I would like to thank all Yang Berhormat including the Opposition for the support.
"Those who said the vote of confidence for legitimacy was not needed, means that they accept the fact there is a change... and (I needed to be) given the space to continue my duties without the question of legitimacy (arising),” he said.
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Responding to questions from Opposition MPs on the need to prove the legitimacy of his government, Anwar said they should refer to the statement by Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (PN-Pagoh) who had challenged Anwar to do so.
“The Minister in the Prime Minister's Department for Law, the Attorney General and in fact even the Yang-di Pertuan Agong have said that there was no need (for the confidence vote) because there was a clear majority,” he said before tabling the Consolidated Fund (Expenditure on Account) Bill 2022 in the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday (Dec 20).
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“ I choose to not only look at it from only a legal and constitutional point of view, but also for moral legitimacy,” he added.
Anwar said this will now give the unity government space to focus on administration after achieving political stability.
On Monday (Dec 19), the motion of confidence for the 10th Prime Minister’s government was passed in the Dewan Rakyat after it was debated by some 13 MPs from both sides of the political divide.
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Not many prime ministers went through a confidence vote in Parliament, except for Tun Hussein Onn in 1976 and Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in 2003.
In his first press conference after being sworn in to the country’s top post last month, Anwar said he will face a vote of confidence in the Dewan Rakyat.
