Projek Sama, an initiative advocating institutional reforms, said a government should serve its full five-year term unless the prime minister loses the confidence of Parliament, or two-thirds or more MPs pass a resolution calling for an early dissolution.
“The FTPA can limit ‘loss of confidence’ to the passing of a no-confidence motion, the defeat of a confidence motion, or the defeat of a budget (supply bill) in the second or third reading.
“Any formation or dismissal of the government should happen by way of confidence and supply votes on the floor of the Dewan Rakyat where MPs can cast their votes openly,” it said in a statement.
Welcoming deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s proposal for the FTPA, Projek Sama noted that fixed electoral calendars are not only a feature in presidential and semi-presidential democracies like Indonesia and Taiwan, but are also increasingly popular in parliamentary democracies such as Norway, Sweden, and states in Australia.
It said the FTPA should also prevent the prime minister from seeking to dissolve Parliament before its full term “at his whim and fancy”, unless he loses power.
It also said it would constrain the prime minister’s power to seek royal consent for an early dissolution of Parliament but leave completely untouched the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s power under Articles 40(2)(b) and 43(4) to withhold his consent.
“The King can still reject any request for early dissolution, while the PM has to share power to make such a request with fellow parliamentarians. This makes early elections harder.
“The decision to seek royal consent must lie within the House to minimise political adventurism, to ensure an inclusive and stable parliamentary democracy,” it said.
Yesterday, Zahid proposed the tabling of a special bill to prevent any future attempts at overthrowing an elected government, alluding to the “Dubai Move”, the latest speculated meeting to plan a takeover of Putrajaya.
The meeting had reportedly taken place in the United Arab Emirates last month between certain opposition and government MPs.
Zahid said such a bill would allow an elected government to administer the nation without being threatened by its political enemies.
“I propose that a bill be tabled (to mandate that) if a government is formed by a dominant party, or a combination of parties, with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s consent, then it should remain in power until the end of its (five-year) term.
“If not, we will experience what has happened before, and this is not good for the country and its people,” the Barisan Nasional chairman, said.