Proposed “prorogation” of parliament nothing more than a sham to prolong the government’s shelf life

The proposal by MIC President Tan Sri A. Vigneswaran to prorogue Parliament is a thinly-disguised lifeline to Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s sinking government and deserves condemnation of all Malaysians who want to preserve our democratic practices.

Vigneswaran’s interpretation of “prorogation” is to suspend parliament to allow for the current government to continue its rule without having to face Parliamentary scrutiny and avoid its majority being tested on the parliamentary floor while also avoiding a general election.

It is a subversion of democracy and will allow a government not democratically-elected to hide behind the veil of prorogation in order to prolong its shelf life.

The call for Parliament to be suspended is the most dangerous thing we heard in the past week. Malaysia’s fledgling democracy will be under threat, just to keep a government alive.

It is the most irresponsible act of any political party that is still interested in participating in elections to make such calls.

Although Barisan Nasional Secretary-General Tan Sri Annuar Musa has refuted Vigneswaran and dissociated Barisan from Vigneswaran’s suggestion.

But I know and I have heard such talk in high places.

It is a dangerous moment for the nation. If this is allowed to happen, it will be the first step down a slippery slope for the sitting government to circumvent the democratic process for their political purpose.

I hope more people will condemn such ideas and I urge the Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin to rule out the possibility of suspension of Parliament. I hope he will assure the rakyat that he will not kill democracy in order to keep his PM-ship alive.

No one is above the law and no one should attempt to subvert the spirit of the Malaysian Constitution.

Attempting to subvert Malaysian democracy just to keep the current Prime Minister in office, knowing that he may lose a parliamentary vote, is going to hurt and harm the nation for generations.

*Media Statement on 17 October 2020 in Johor Bahru