KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 19 — The Perikatan Nasional government should seek a vote of confidence in Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin in the Dewan Rakyat rather than a proclamation of emergency, Bagan Datuk MP Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said today.

Zahid, who is also Umno president, said the Dewan Rakyat is the best place to test the level of confidence or otherwise in Muhyiddin, whether through a vote of confidence or vote of no confidence.

"It should be tested in this Dewan, if it cannot be done due to constraints in the order of the meeting, something must be made suitable and government matters must be prioritised.

"Let the government itself make it a government matter to be prioritised, which is to bring this vote of confidence to this Dewan,” he said while debating the Budget speech.

His proposal was met with thumps of approval from the other MPs.

Zahid went on to say that a declaration of emergency — which the Perikatan Nasional government under Muhyiddin’s leadership had recently sought — is not an option, pointing out that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the Conference of Malay Rulers had rejected the idea.

"What more an attempt to make a declaration [of emergency] nationwide in any form should be rejected by all MPs. But the public accepts the localised proclamation of emergency such as the one announced for Batu Sapi, we understand that,” he said.

Zahid also said that ideally the mandate should be returned to the public by holding elections, noting: "From the rakyat (people) we were given the mandate, to the rakyat also we give the mandate.”

Following Zahid’s remark, Pontian MP Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan who is also Umno secretary-general then stood up to interject and support Zahid’s idea as erasing doubt of support towards the current government: "What was mentioned by Bagan Datuk (Zahid) is interesting to think about. To ensure that there are no doubts towards the existing government, to ensure that, we should support what he said.”

Umno is a key party in the Perikatan Nasional government, making up about one third of MPs backing this administration.

Previously, the federal Opposition including former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had sought to have a vote of no confidence against PM Muhyiddin to be decided in the Dewan Rakyat, but such attempts were unsuccessful due to time constraints and with government matters taking priority in Dewan Rakyat proceedings.

PKR’s Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Abdul Karim said he would reject Budget 2021 if items that he were opposing to were not changed. — Picture by Miera Zulyana

Budget 2021 vote = Vote of confidence?

Later, PKR’s Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Abdul Karim said he would reject Budget 2021 if items that he were opposing to were not changed, including the RM85.5 million allocation for the controversial Special Affairs Department (Jasa) which he said should be given to national broadcaster Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) to make it the best of its kind in the world or to channel such funds to the government’s Information Department.

"Lastly, I consider this Budget 2021 to be a vote of confidence in the government of the day. If on November 26, next week, this Budget is rejected by this Dewan, consider this as the prime minister and the government having lost the confidence of MPs.

"So I hope to the finance minister, if you love the PN government, instead of being rejected, make amendments, listen to what we say, what we ask for, the people’s voices. If not, this government will fall on November 26 next week,” he said in his debate on Budget 2021.

Later in his debate, Parti Pejuang Tanah Air’s (Pejuang) Kubang Pasu MP Datuk Amiruddin Hamzah asked for confirmation that all 221 MPs would be allowed to be present in the Dewan Rakyat hall to vote on the government Bill for Budget 2021 on November 26.

"I again stress that we will only give our support if our proposals are fulfilled by the government,” he said, referring to the various suggestions by MPs for improvements and adjustments to Budget 2021.

Today was the last day of eight days of MPs’ debate on the bill for Budget 2021 at the policy stage, with ministers to provide replies next week, with a vote on the Budget at the policy stage expected on November 26, before the bill proceeds to the Dewan Rakyat debate at the committee stage.

Umno’s Arau MP Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim today claimed that the Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club supports the Budget, while also stating his full support for Muhyiddin. — Picture by Shafwan Zaidon

As the last of the 82 backbencher MPs to have debated the Budget 2021, Umno’s Arau MP Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim today claimed that the Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club supports the Budget, while also stating his full support for Muhyiddin.

Shahidan sought to dispel allegedly speculation of veteran Umno politicians such as Zahid, Pekan MP Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Gua Musang MP Tan Sri Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah potentially rejecting the Budget 2021, before going on to claim that any MPs who reject the government’s proposed Budget 2021 would be traitors to Malaysians.

"But I want to say this, anyone who rejects this Budget, including my friend Pekan, khianat rakyat (betray the people), because the people is waiting for this budget to be approved,” he said, claiming that it would also be an "insult” against the public for MPs to reject Budget 2021.