Ismail Sabri Needs 148 Votes To Win Vote Of Confidence

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If they want to bring Ismail Sabri down this would be the time to do it. But sabotaging the Anti-Party Hopping Bill may have negative repercussions on the saboteurs because this Bill is what they have demanded. Hence, they may have no choice but to support the Bill and give Ismail Sabri a vote of confidence in parliament. NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin
You need 148 out of 222 votes (or currently 220 votes) to pass a new bill in Parliament, which represents a two-thirds majority.
The Anti-Party Hopping Bill, which has been a bone of contention by many from both sides of the political divide, will be tabled for approval these next couple of weeks starting from 28th February 2022.
This is amongst one of the terms of the MoU (Memorandum of Understanding on Transformation and Political Stability) signed between the government and the opposition to allow for a ceasefire until mid-2022, when the fighting will recommence and when the opposition will try to oust the government of Ismail Sabri Yaakob so that a snap GE15 can be held by September 2022 or thereabouts.
Parliament will be dissolved by or before May 2023 anyway (or will automatically dissolve by August 2023) so we are talking about a year or less earlier. But then the opposition and Ismail Sabri’s enemies in Umno cannot afford to allow him that extra one year lest he become stronger by mid-2023.
Even if Ismail Sabri is not getting stronger, his enemies and the opposition are getting weaker. Hence Ismail Sabri need not really move forward if those opposed to him are moving backwards, like what appears to be happening.
The Anti-Party Hopping Bill is probably the most crucial event these next few weeks. This is because both the government as well as the opposition wants an end to what they call the ‘frog festival’. And if this Bill passes, it would be seen as a great achievement, and credit would go to Ismail Sabri. So it makes sense to sabotage the Bill.
If the Bill fails to get the support of at least 148 MPs, this can be interpreted as a vote of no confidence against Ismail Sabri. And if the Bill gets, say 180 votes or more, it will be seen as a vote of confidence for Ismail Sabri.
But can they afford to sabotage the Bill? They will need a good excuse to do so considering the Bill was drafted after consultation with all the stakeholders, and was in a way drafted with consensus.
If they want to bring Ismail Sabri down this would be the time to do it. But sabotaging the Anti-Party Hopping Bill may have negative repercussions on the saboteurs because this Bill is what they have demanded. Hence, they may have no choice but to support the Bill and give Ismail Sabri a vote of confidence in parliament.
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Law minister confident anti-party hopping bill will be passed (Bernama) – Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar is confident that the Anti-Party Hopping Bill (RUU) to be brought to the Dewan Rakyat will be approved, based on the response received through engagement sessions.
He said the sessions held with stakeholders including MPs, NGOs and party leaders had received 7,000 responses in feedback for analysis.
“Overall and in principle, many agree with it. So the only question left is that, as the constitution needs to be amended, it will require two-thirds of the vote or support in the Dewan Rakyat, which is the support of 148 out of 220 total MPs now.
“If we get 148 votes or more, then this law can be passed, and based on my expectations after looking at the views of many parties, I am confident (the bill can be approved),” he said when met before appearing on a Bernama TV programme last night.
Wan Junaidi was previously reported as saying that several proposed constitutional amendments would be tabled during the Dewan Rakyat sitting which begins Feb 28, including the Anti-Party Hopping Bill and limiting the prime minister’s term to two terms.
This is in line with the recommendation of Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob who wanted the bill to be expedited after the government signed the Memorandum of Understanding on Transformation and Political Stability with Pakatan Harapan on Sept 13, 2021.
Wan Junaidi said the Anti-Party Hopping Bill was not aimed at hindering the democratic process among politicians, but rather to prevent harm to the country, especially from an economic point of view.
“Actually in democracy itself, anywhere, there must be parameters or scopes of its own. So to enliven democracy, there must be rules and laws because sometimes, humans have the tendency to want to be totally free without any resistance,” he said.
 

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