Malaysia's coalition threatens to expel dissident party
Malaysia's ruling coalition has warned that it faces possible expulsion for seeking to oust the PM through a no-confidence vote in Parliament.
By Agencies |
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's ruling coalition has warned a small member party that it faces possible expulsion for seeking to oust the prime minister through a no-confidence vote in Parliament.
The ruling National Front coalition on Thursday gave the Sabah Progressive Party 30 days to explain why its two lawmakers plan to introduce the vote against Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
The party, which is based in eastern Sabah state on Borneo island, stunned coalition leaders last week when it announced it had lost faith in Abdullah's leadership and would seek a no-confidence vote against him.
After a meeting of the National Front's decision-making council late Thursday, Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak said that it will wait for the explanatory letter from the Sabah party and then determine whether it should receive a ``warning, suspension or expulsion.''
``It is clear that (the party's plan) is a serious action which can bring damage to the interests'' of the ruling coalition, Najib told a news conference.
Chong Pit Fah, a senior Sabah Progressive Party official, said the party has not decided how to respond.
Abdullah has already won the backing of the National Front's other 13 parties, whose leaders pledged to defeat any no-confidence vote.
The Sabah party has not announced when it would seek the vote, but the current parliamentary session ends July 15.
Sabah's move has little chance of succeeding because it contributes only two lawmakers in the 222-member Parliament. The National Front has 138 other lawmakers, and its hold on power would not be undermined if it loses the two Sabah party lawmakers.
But the party's rebellion reflects Abdullah's shaky status after he led the coalition to its worst-ever results in March general elections. The National Front retained power, but lost its traditional two-thirds majority and an unprecedented five of Malaysia's 13 states.
Abdullah has repeatedly insisted he won't step down anytime soon, saying he wants to fix the country's economy first and continue reforms to clean up the judiciary and remove corruption.
The ruling National Front coalition on Thursday gave the Sabah Progressive Party 30 days to explain why its two lawmakers plan to introduce the vote against Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
The party, which is based in eastern Sabah state on Borneo island, stunned coalition leaders last week when it announced it had lost faith in Abdullah's leadership and would seek a no-confidence vote against him.
After a meeting of the National Front's decision-making council late Thursday, Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak said that it will wait for the explanatory letter from the Sabah party and then determine whether it should receive a ``warning, suspension or expulsion.''
``It is clear that (the party's plan) is a serious action which can bring damage to the interests'' of the ruling coalition, Najib told a news conference.
Chong Pit Fah, a senior Sabah Progressive Party official, said the party has not decided how to respond.
ADVERTISEMENT
Abdullah has already won the backing of the National Front's other 13 parties, whose leaders pledged to defeat any no-confidence vote.
The Sabah party has not announced when it would seek the vote, but the current parliamentary session ends July 15.
Sabah's move has little chance of succeeding because it contributes only two lawmakers in the 222-member Parliament. The National Front has 138 other lawmakers, and its hold on power would not be undermined if it loses the two Sabah party lawmakers.
But the party's rebellion reflects Abdullah's shaky status after he led the coalition to its worst-ever results in March general elections. The National Front retained power, but lost its traditional two-thirds majority and an unprecedented five of Malaysia's 13 states.
ADVERTISEMENT
Abdullah has repeatedly insisted he won't step down anytime soon, saying he wants to fix the country's economy first and continue reforms to clean up the judiciary and remove corruption.
Download
The Economic Times Business News App for the Latest News in Business, Sensex, Stock Market Updates & More.
The Economic Times Business News App for the Latest News in Business, Sensex, Stock Market Updates & More.
Download
The Economic Times News App for Quarterly Results, Latest News in ITR, Business, Share Market, Live Sensex News & More.
The Economic Times News App for Quarterly Results, Latest News in ITR, Business, Share Market, Live Sensex News & More.
ADVERTISEMENT
