Does Muhyiddin have absolute prerogative to appoint cabinet?
by Kim Quek
by Kim Quek
In an effort to shield Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin from Umno’s pressure to appoint someone from Umno as deputy prime minister, Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had asserted that the appointment of ministers, including deputy prime minister, is the absolute prerogative of the prime minister and as such, no one should exert pressure on Muhyiddin over such appointments.
I disagree with Zahid on such a simplistic view of the prime minister’s power in the context of a democracy, particularly with a multi-party ruling coalition.
Yes, the Federal Constitution may have mandated the prime minister to appoint his cabinet, but he cannot make such decisions in solo with no regard to others’ views.
In a dictatorship, yes, he can do so. But not in a democracy, which upholds the will of the majority as the supreme arbiter of power.
No such absolute prerogative in a democracy
Muhyiddin would not be able to get away with a cabinet unacceptable to his party Bersatu even if the latter were to govern the country alone, not to mention he is now heading a coalition government consisting of many political parties of diverse political ideologies and conflicting self-interests.
Even in a mono-party government, the prime minister can still be easily unseated, if his party decides to remove him as the party’s choice of premier through a party resolution.
Whereas in a multi-party government, the prime minister is even more prone to be toppled, if only one or more of the component parties decide to leave the coalition.
And Muhyiddin’s Perikatan Nasional government of razor-thin majority is most unstable from this point of view.
The slightest defection or switch of sides by individual members of Parliament from any component party, not to mention departure of an entire party, would cause the collapse of the government.
Hence, in recognition of such political realities, a wise politician in Muhyiddin’s position would have accorded equitable weight in line with the relative strengths of the various component parties when he structured his cabinet.
That is, if he cherishes fair play and democratic values and wishes to have a stable and enduring partnership within his coalition.
Inequitable cabinet begets instability
Muhyiddin has obviously not done that, hence, the incessant murmur of discontent from Umno, which is many times more powerful than Bersatu in terms of grassroots organisation and electoral support.
But despite such superiority, Umno has to suffer the humiliation of being led by Bersatu which now dominates executive power and dictates major policies.
It doesn’t help their peaceful co-existence, from Umno’s point of view, that these two parties share the same electoral support base.
Such inherent structural weakness of the PN coalition, compounded by its wafer-thin majority, makes this backdoor government the most vulnerable to failure in the country’s history.
Such instability augers badly for the coalition’s future which is already starved of good political leaders.
I don’t see any future for the country under such a shoddy government at this time of unprecedented double-hitting pandemic and economic crisis, unless a capable and vibrant political leadership takes over the helm of the country now to lead the country out of the woods and embark on a robust recovery.
I disagree with Zahid on such a simplistic view of the prime minister’s power in the context of a democracy, particularly with a multi-party ruling coalition.
Yes, the Federal Constitution may have mandated the prime minister to appoint his cabinet, but he cannot make such decisions in solo with no regard to others’ views.
In a dictatorship, yes, he can do so. But not in a democracy, which upholds the will of the majority as the supreme arbiter of power.
No such absolute prerogative in a democracy
Muhyiddin would not be able to get away with a cabinet unacceptable to his party Bersatu even if the latter were to govern the country alone, not to mention he is now heading a coalition government consisting of many political parties of diverse political ideologies and conflicting self-interests.
Even in a mono-party government, the prime minister can still be easily unseated, if his party decides to remove him as the party’s choice of premier through a party resolution.
Whereas in a multi-party government, the prime minister is even more prone to be toppled, if only one or more of the component parties decide to leave the coalition.
And Muhyiddin’s Perikatan Nasional government of razor-thin majority is most unstable from this point of view.
The slightest defection or switch of sides by individual members of Parliament from any component party, not to mention departure of an entire party, would cause the collapse of the government.
Hence, in recognition of such political realities, a wise politician in Muhyiddin’s position would have accorded equitable weight in line with the relative strengths of the various component parties when he structured his cabinet.
That is, if he cherishes fair play and democratic values and wishes to have a stable and enduring partnership within his coalition.
Inequitable cabinet begets instability
Muhyiddin has obviously not done that, hence, the incessant murmur of discontent from Umno, which is many times more powerful than Bersatu in terms of grassroots organisation and electoral support.
But despite such superiority, Umno has to suffer the humiliation of being led by Bersatu which now dominates executive power and dictates major policies.
It doesn’t help their peaceful co-existence, from Umno’s point of view, that these two parties share the same electoral support base.
Such inherent structural weakness of the PN coalition, compounded by its wafer-thin majority, makes this backdoor government the most vulnerable to failure in the country’s history.
Such instability augers badly for the coalition’s future which is already starved of good political leaders.
I don’t see any future for the country under such a shoddy government at this time of unprecedented double-hitting pandemic and economic crisis, unless a capable and vibrant political leadership takes over the helm of the country now to lead the country out of the woods and embark on a robust recovery.
Harapan losing the committee votes. Even if there was a policy vote last week they would have lost too. So Anwar should step down as party leader. Fahmy or Nik Nazmi should take over. Maybe Rafizi. Nurul or mamasan should not.
ReplyDeleteDAP should lead the opposition. Gobind, Anthony or Hannah.
PM candidate? As usual DAP bagi jalan to PKR....ha ha ha...so humble.
Constitutionally and legally - yes - once the Prime Minister is appointed by the Ruler as the "person who, in his opinion, is most likely to hold the majority in the House" - the membership of the Cabinet is the PM's discretion.
ReplyDeletePolitically - no - the PM has to take into account the realities of maintaining support from both his party and his alles.
So....if Kim Quek is talking about the Constitution, Moo is acting within his rights.
If UMNO is unhappy, that is a political matter for them to take up with Moo.
Now ....UMNO has a big headache...its titular head, Jawa-man faces dozens of Criminal Charges.
Its DeFacto Head Jibby is a Convicted Criminal.
So with UMNO Titular Head and DeFacto Head out of the running, Moo has plenty of discretion on who he does or does not appoint to the Cabinet.
party no telur crybaby tok all sort of kok, all they want is merely pm pintu belakang to feed them shit.
ReplyDeleteI think you are the one still in the woods. Come out, Man. Can't you see what Mahyuddin is doing now, and how the affected masses reacting to the so many ways the PN government are helping them? Get out of your cave mentality.
ReplyDelete