KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim stepped up pressure on the government on Thursday, demanding an emergency parliamentary session next week to hold a no-confidence vote against Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
“We must realise this is now a minority government. The majority of MPs are with us now,” Anwar said at a news conference, adding the session should be convened by Sept. 23.
That would be one day before Anwar is due to appear again in court over sodomy charges he denies and which he and his supporters say are politically motivated.
Anwar needs 30 government MPs to join his opposition alliance which has 82 legislators in the 222-strong parliament.
He said on Tuesday he had the numbers and demanded handover talks with Abdullah, although he declined to name MPs and say how many had said they would join him.
The demand for an emergency session came a day after a small party in Malaysia’s ruling coalition walked out.
Also on Tuesday, Abdullah handed the key finance ministry post to his Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak and hinted he might leave the top job earlier than 2010 as planned.
salam DSAI dan Rakan2 dalam Pakatan Rakyat..
Kita tengok apa akan dilakukan oleh Pak Lah bagi menggagalkan rancangan DSAI..
Mungkinkah Pak Lah menggunakan talian hayatnya..ISA…
Pak Lah..Pak Lah..suudaaahLLahh…
Letak jer lah jawatan..kene profesional lah skit..
Contohi PM Jepun..
fully support u DS..go DS go..
Minority government if emergency parliamentary session materialised. As far as AAB/UMNO is concern, there’s no such thing. Bear in mind that there’s just too much at stake to meet your demand for the emergency parliamentary session. It’s like you are telling him to go to you by informing him in advance that you will be taking everything from him. Why would AAB or anyone would want to do that in this instance ? I share many of RAKYAT’s wish that change will happened for the betterment of this country. It is already obvious with the recent “Ikut Suka Aku” being used on those innocent. Smooth power transition is paramount which most will not doubt but will they just sit quietly without doing anything to let this change happened when they have already declared, they will no let this happened !!! That i believe is being done and put to practical use. But 916 has become 923 which has again given them another edge by locking up another innocent guy from PAS and with your being next on the list. So, when that gentleman at 2pm 18 Sept 08 press conference was trying to get a response what is the breaking point which he’s actually more concern about RPK’s health and condition but the reply came back was quite damaging. With all due respect, to be honest, by answering a question with another question “so what do you expect or want us to do ?” sounded like you were actually at a lost. My thought is, what the heck, if there’s enough then it’s enough, there’s no need to be shy as this isn’t personal, IS IT ? To AAB/UMNO it’s personal though. So, what’s next ?? GOODLUCK TO ALL MALAYSIAN ESPECIALLY RPK and TERESA.
Dear DSAI,
Just be careful…. not to be caught by AAB who has ISA weapon.
We people need you to achieve Malaysians’ dream… to be a safe and prosperous country.
Since AAB is weak and still in his denial state (everyone can tell), perhaps Pakatan can also consider BN MPs (Semenanjung) besides East M’sia MPs who used to be AAB’s men. These people might feel insecured in BN if AAB loses power.
In a Democracy, a minority Government could only exist with the consent of the majority in arliament. Such occasions only happen when multiple political parties could not agree to name a Prime Minister or government.
That does not happen in our case. Pakatan Rakyat now commands the majority in Parliament, BN is now the minority, and rightfully BN should resign and PR to take over.
PR members of parliament agree to nominate Anwar as their leader in the House, and to proceed to become the Prime Minister.
The Rakyat want change, and the government should now be changed!
US concerned over Malaysian use of internal security act
The government of US President George W. Bush views with “grave concern” Malaysia’s use of its tough Internal Security Act (ISA) as a possible way to stifle dissent, the State Department said Thursday.
Washington worries about “the possibility” that the act, which allows indefinite detention without trial, “might be used again to detain opposition political figures,” said spokesman Sean McCormack.
“The statement by a government figure that a leading member of the opposition had become ‘a threat to the economy and national security’ is extremely troubling,” said McCormack, referring to warnings by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi against opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, who on Thursday called for a no-confidence vote against Abdullah.
Last Friday Malaysian police arrested Teresa Kok of the opposition Democratic Action Party (DAP), Malaysia’s top blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin, and a reporter with a Chinese-language newspaper under the security law, citing security concerns.
“The United States firmly believes that national security laws, such as the ISA, must not be used to curtail or inhibit the exercise of universal democratic liberties or the peaceful expression of political views,” McCormack said.
“The detention of opposition leaders under the ISA would be viewed by the United States and the international community as a fundamental infringement of democratic rights and values,” he added.