Open field now for MPs to show they ‘have the numbers’, says lawyer

[superadmin]

PETALING JAYA: Any MP can now seek to have an audience with the King and try to prove they “have the numbers”, following Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s admission that he no longer had the majority support in the Dewan Rakyat.

Lawyer Salim Bashar said there is now nothing to stop any MP from going to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong claiming to have statutory declarations (SDs) from MPs backing him or her to lead the government.

He cited the Federal Court decision in the infamous Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin v Zambry Abd Kadir case over the post of Perak menteri besar in 2009.

“The Perak case has given precedent that the test of confidence may be established and gathered from extraneous sources if they are reliable and established, other than voting from the floor.

“This decision seems to provide now an avenue for MPs to show or withdraw support based on individual declarations. It also answers pivotal questions as to whether the prime minister can lose support outside of Parliament,” he said.


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