Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) - What Do You Stand For?
On the 26th July 2021, de facto Law Minister Takiyuddin Hassan told parliament that all six Emergency Ordinances were revoked by the cabinet on the 21st July 2021. On the 29th July it transpired that the revocation was done without the consent of the Yang DiPertuan Agong (YDPA). There was a huge outcry, not just in parliament but also from among many Malaysians who were following the proceedings.
Among the reasons for the outcry were: 1. The revocation without the YDPA’s consent was a serious act disrespect for the monarch. 2. It was against the federal constitution. 3. And more than that, it amounted to Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (TSMY) the Prime Minister (PM) and his cabinet members usurping the power of the YDPA.
Under Malaysia’s national principles otherwise known as the Rukun Negara Loyalty To King And Country is among the 5 principles, second only to Belief In God. Principle number three (3) speaks of Supremacy Of The Constitution and Principle number four (4) speaks of Rules Of Law. The illegal revocation of the Emergency 2021 Ordinances by the cabinet is against 3 of the 5 principles. It disrespects the YDPA and pays no heed to supremacy of the constitution and rules of law.
All in all, it was an act unbecoming of a responsible government.
As we all know now, parliament sitting on the 29th July 2021 was suspended in the afternoon. Following the announcement of suspension, all members of parliament (MP) present in parliament that day were told that they had to take a Covid.19 swab test before they were allowed to leave. As expected, that announcement was followed with another one - parliament will not reconvene as previously planned.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwHw-6QPgqI
That closing of parliament effectively stopped MPs from voting on any matters of national concern resulting in the issue of majority confidence for the PM or the lack of it remaining unresolved.
The matter of lack of confidence and supported cropped up again when on the 3th August 2021 UMNO announced that they had decided to withdraw support for the PM and his PN government, resulting in the PM and government left with a very questionable level of support and confidence.
The YDPA was concerned enough with the issue as to raise the matter with the PM during their weekly meeting on the 4th August 2021. During the meeting, the PM promised that a motion of confidence will be tabled in parliament is Sept 2021.
Much of what is said above is essentially just chronological recounting of recent events in the history of governance in Malaysia. So what is the point in all this? When and how did the GPS government of Sarawak entered into the picture?
Before the 23rd Feb 2020, the federal government of Malaysia was the coalition of Pakatan Harapan (PH) and the PM was Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohammad (TDMM). TDMM was the chairman of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) and TSMY is the President. On the 24th TSMY led PPBM out of the PH coalition leaving PH without a majority in parliament. Devastated by the action taken by TSMY, TDMM resigned as PM and the PH government collapsed.
At this point it is appropriate to talk about the role TSMY played in the collapse of the PH government with the specific purpose of dispelling a popularly held notion - that the PH government fell because of the departure of MPs of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) from PKR and the resignation of TDMM as PM.
On the night of the 23rd Feb 2020, PPBM led by Muhyiddin convened a meeting of the leaders of PPBM. In that meeting in which TDMM was absent, they decided to leave the PH coalition. This departure involved 26 of PPBM’s MPs. On the morning of the 24th Feb 2020, their decision to leave PH was made public. With the departure of the 26, PH was left with only 109 MPs in parliament, 3 seats short of the minimum requirement of 112. The group of PKR MPs led by Azmin Ali announced their departure from PKR on the afternoon of 24th Feb 2020, after the collapse of PH. The resignation of the PKR MPs was in fact purely an internal party matter and was not the cause of the collapse of PH. The PH government collapsed earlier, caused by the departure of PPBM led by TSMY.
https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2020/03/01/i-feel-betrayed-mostly-by-muhyiddin-says-dr-m
On the 3rd and 4th August 2021, an eerily similar episode unfolded, this time involving 12 MPs from UMNO. UMNO is a partner in the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government. The UMNO supreme council met on the night of the 3rd August and they decided to withdraw support for PM TSMY and for the PN government. On the 4th August they announced the departure of 12 of their MPs from PN, leaving the PN coalition with only 103 MPs left, 9 MPs short of the minimum requirement of 112. For all practical purposes, the PN government has collapsed, just 17 months after they came into power.
Today (6th August 2021) the PN coalition is still the government and TSMY is still PM. How they managed to do that after the 4th August 2021 remains a mystery, one that has puzzled Malaysians beyond all words. They started as a government without mandate and is continuing as a government without mandate.
Where is GPS in all these? GPS, without formally entering the PN coalition supported TSMY in the formation of the PN government. They claimed that it was their king maker’s role that facilitated the formation of the PN government and they were not wrong. With the formation of PN government, Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS), for the first time since their formation, became part of the federal government.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perikatan_Nasional#Member_parties_and_confidence_and_supply
Post 3rd August 2021 (UMNO’s departure from PN), the comments from GPS were clearly in continuing support for this PN government which has clearly failed and has collapsed. Borneo Post reported CM Abang Johari as stating his support of TSMY and PN in these words, ‘Muhyiddin made wise move with confidence vote in Parliament’. One of his vice-president in PBB, Abdul Karim Rahman supported Abang Johari in these words, ‘ GPS leadership capable of making wise decision’.
In summary, what can be said about GPS ‘s stand in all these is this: They are not bothered about TSMY and his cabinet disrespecting the YDPA, about them usurping the power of the YDPA and going against the federal constitution and disregarding the rules of law. And they are not bothered that they are supporting a government that has lost its majority in parliament and that confidence in the PM is doubtful, to say the least.
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