PETALING JAYA: Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail should resign over the "sudden" postponement of the debate for the citizenship laws amendment last Wednesday (March 27), says the Opposition Chief Whip Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan.
He alleged that this was because the postponement was an attempt by the Madani government to avoid possible embarrassment of not being able to get the two-thirds majority needed.
"He (Saifuddin) stated on March 28 that the postponement was to give 'wider space' for the MPs to debate the matter in the next session of Dewan Rakyat as the Bill needed two-thirds of the votes of the members," in a statement issued on March 30.
"Besides the question as to whether the Bill has received the nod from the Conference of Rulers, the bigger issue is the government faces the possibility of not getting enough votes should the debate and vote be held according to the schedule.
"On March 27, 211 MPs were present, whereas 11 were absent - nine of which were from the government bloc.
"This would have made the number of government MPs present on that day a total of 145 (including the Perikatan Nasional MPs who had shifted allegiance.
"The total of 145 lacks three more to provide the minimal two-thirds majority of 145 votes needed by the government bloc to pass the amendment," said Takiyuddin.
He said that even a few ministers including Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi were also not present in the later part of the day of March 27.
"The lack of two-third of votes from the Dewan Rakyat can be construed as a vote of no confidence against the Prime Minister and his government.
"This is the convention in the United Kingdom whereby should the government bloc fail to get enough support during any big agenda, it would be seen as a loss of confidence against the government.
"Worse is that the Home Minister had stepped in to 'save the government' and cover the 'failure of the government'," said Takiyuddin.
Despite much public anticipation, the first Dewan Rakyat meeting of the year came to a surprising end after the proposed constitutional amendment on citizenship laws was not debated and passed.
The Bill to amend the Federal Constitution was tabled for a second reading by Saifuddin on Mar 27.
