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Key Highlights

  • The palace's letter

  • PM not backing down

  • Dissolution powers



The palace's letter

Two letters have been floating on social media - one by the palace to Dewan Rakyat Speaker Azhar Azizan Harun and another is the latter's reply.

The first letter concerns the palace asking Azhar to give an update on Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin's majority, suggesting that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is trying to establish the prime minister's support, even though he has promised to undergo a confidence vote next month.

Malaysiakini confirmed with a well-placed source that the letter is genuine.

In the second letter, Azhar purportedly informed the palace that Muhyiddin has the support of 100 MPs, short of the 111 MPs needed for a majority. Azhar declined to confirm the authenticity of this letter.

The palace's move is consistent with earlier reports that it does not want to wait until September for Muhyiddin to establish his majority.

It should be noted that while it is good democratic practice for the leader of the executive to establish his or her majority in the House when his or her support is in doubt, it has not been the convention for Malaysia.

In the 2009 Perak constitutional crisis, 2014 Selangor constitutional crisis and the fall of the Pakatan Harapan government in 2020, the determination of the majority were done by the rulers, instead of the legislature.



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PM not backing down

Indications are Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin won't yield to the palace's demand to move up his confidence test.

Communications and Multimedia Minister Saifuddin Abdullah revealed that the confidence vote has been fixed for Sept 7.

This leaves Muhyiddin slightly more than three weeks to rebuild his majority - if the palace does not make a move first.

Agriculture and Food Industries Minister Ronald Kiandee also dismissed speculation that Muhyiddin may resign.

PN sources suggested Muhyiddin is determined to fight and may seek a dissolution of Parliament if he fails to regain his majority.



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She refutes social media claims of defections.
DAP rep: Opposition wants to gain power, but focus is rakyat
She says Harapan will handle the pandemic better.
Perak PKR wants transparency in rape probe
The probe is linked to Azmin's aide.




Dissolution powers

By convention, the Agong must act in accordance with the advice of the government.

However, Article 40(2) of the Federal Constitution expressly states that the Agong may use his discretion in "withholding of consent to a request for the dissolution of Parliament".

Legal experts also concur with the view that the Agong can reject Muhyiddin's request for a dissolution of Parliament.

The federal instability prompted Johor ruler Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar to warn that he would dissolve the Johor Legislative Assembly if the same happened in Johor.

The ruler suggested that Johor could function without a legislature until after the Covid-19 pandemic is resolved.

However, this is not possible without backing from the prime minister. This is because an election must be called within 60 days of a dissolution, unless an emergency is declared. This power lies with the federal government.

Muhyiddin was in Johor to brief Sultan Ibrahim on the ongoing political developments and was treated to a royal lunch.



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This will help the country's Covid-19 vaccination target.



A daily glance at Covid-19

  • 21,668 new cases yesterday (Aug 12), a new record high.

  • Sabah, Kedah, Sarawak and Johor hit new record highs, an indication that Covid-19 is spreading more aggressively beyond the Klang Valley.

  • The country saw more than 300 Covid-19 deaths for the second time since the pandemic began. The 318 fatalities are the second-highest after a record 360 deaths on Aug 8.

  • For trends on daily cases, tests, hospital beds capacity, vaccination progress and more, follow our Covid-19 tracker.


What else is happening?

  • Communications and Multimedia Minister Saifuddin Abdullah said politicians should not go after critics amid Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor sending the police after netizens who slammed him on the internet.

  • The Home Ministry formally rejected the Malaysian United Democratic Alliance's (Muda) bid to register as a political party. Muda says it will challenge the decision in court.

  • After announcing perks for people who have been vaccinated against Covid-19, the government indicated it will unveil measures against anti-vaccine groups next month.

  • The National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) urged the government to postpone the reopening of schools in September amid rising Covid-19 cases, while a paediatric specialist suggested that students should be vaccinated first.

  • The Selangor government is planning several welfare measures, including providing free test kits for Covid-19 patients and subsidising funeral costs for those who perished from the deadly virus.


HIGHLIGHTS

'Najib telephoned Jho Low during 2009 1MDB meet'
This is according to witness testimony.
MP nudges govt on laptop distribution for students
Govt aiming to hand out 150k laptops by September.
MACC report lodged against Kedah MB alleging abuse of power
It's related to an RM1bil tourism project.

 


What are people saying?

After Muhyiddin steps down, then what?
By Francis Paul Siah
Battling Covid-19: Challenges, burden and response
By Akhbar Satar
Another throw of the dice in our fight against Covid
By Malaysiakini readers

 


CARTOON KINI