Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said a change of government could take place when a party in power loses its parliamentary majority.

“It will lose power either through a vote of no confidence or when part of the party withdraws its support. This situation is clearly not in conflict with the constitution. This means that there is no need to wait for a general election,” he told FMT.

Tuan Ibrahim’s comments were a rebuttal of a call by Amanah president Mohamad Sabu that those seeking a change of government should start campaigning now for the next general election.

Mohamad said the country was not prepared for another political crisis like the one sparked by the Sheraton Move in 2020, when the Pakatan Harapan government fell after Bersatu left the coalition to form a new government in alliance with some MPs from Barisan Nasional.

PAS was a partner with Bersatu, led by Muhyiddin Yassin, in the new government formed after the Sheraton Move, and also a partner with the government formed by Ismail Sabri Yaakob of Umno after the party retracted support for Muhyiddin, causing him to lose his parliamentary majority.

In August, Umno Supreme Council member Ahmad Maslan said the current government formed by the unity coalition would stand even if 30 BN MPs were to withdraw their support for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Under the constitution, a government will fall if it loses a finance vote or confidence vote, or its parliamentary majority.

The prime minister may ask the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to dissolve Parliament, leading to a fresh general election. However, the King may withhold consent and instead seek to appoint a new prime minister from any MP who commands majority support.