KUALA LUMPUR — Dr Mahathir Mohamad is allowed to table a motion of no-confidence in Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin in the coming parliament sitting on May 18, said the Dewan Rakyat speaker on Friday (May 8).

The motion, filed under Standing Order 27(3), states: “(The House will) table a resolution to decide that Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, the Pagoh MP, does not command the support of the majority members of parliament.”

The motion can now be put to the MPs for a vote, putting Mr Muhyiddin’s two-month old Perikatan Nasional government under pressure.

Speaker Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof, in a statement, said the decision was made after considering the Standing Orders.

"Whatever decision made by the speaker must be fair and equitable to protect the integrity of the Dewan Rakyat and parliament,” he said.

Dr Mahathir submitted a notice of motion to Mr Ariff on May 4, just in time to meet the criterion for advance warning of 14 days.
 
With his motion, the former prime minister, who is Langkawi MP, wants to show that Mr Muhyiddin does not enjoy majority support of lawmakers.

In his statement, Mr Ariff said he has rejected another notice of motion submitted by Dr Mahathir to retain the Dewan Rakyat speaker for a full term because the notice was submitted improperly.

The speaker also rejected a May 1 notice of motion from Semporna MP Mohd Shafie Apdal for support for Dr Mahathir.

He said Mr Shafie’s bid was unconstitutional as it questioned the power of the king to appoint the prime minister.

Mr Ariff said he also received a notice of motion from Batu Sapi MP VK Liew which seeks to pass a resolution that Mr Muhyiddin does not enjoy the support of the majority of MPs, that Dr Mahathir has majority support, and that the one-day sitting was unconstitutional and should be extended to eight days. 

The speaker said while he has rejected some parts of Mr Liew’s motion, other parts are acceptable as being matters of public interest that should to be discussed in the House.

He did not specify which parts he had accepted.

Should the sitting remain limited to a day, Dr Mahathir’s confidence motion could be adjourned to give precedence to government matters.

But if the speaker allows Mr Liew’s motion to extend the session to eight days, Dr Mahathir’s motion will stand a chance of getting tabled after government matters are settled.

The May 18 sitting is the first of the year. It was delayed from March 9 after the Pakatan Harapan government was ousted through political defections and manoeuvring by former PKR leaders, a Bersatu faction, Umno and PAS.

Bersatu joined Perikatan Nasional to form the government and Mr Muhyiddin was subsequently appointed prime minister 

The ruling coalition has said that the parliamentary session will only have time for the royal address and to approve government spending to mitigate the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Question time has been scrapped nor will MPs’ motions be entertained. THE MALAYSIAN INSIGHT