Perikatan Nasional chief whip Takiyuddin Hassan said the opposition bloc had no intention of backing the Pandan MP’s proposal, given that Rafizi is still part of the government bench.

“So why ask the opposition?” Takiyuddin said at a press conference today.

He said neither he nor opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin have received any letter from Rafizi on the proposal to set up an RCI which was said to have been issued by Rafizi’s parliamentary service centre on July 9.

However, he said, he found it strange that the letter, which he had sighted, contained two parts.

“One is the letter and the other is a pre-written response.

“For example, it says, ‘I am the MP for so-and-so and I support Rafizi’s call for the RCI’, and we are asked to sign it.”

Takiyuddin, a former law minister, was doubtful about the effectiveness of forming an RCI at this stage, pointing out that the process ultimately rests with the prime minister.

“We don’t feel confident that an RCI will be effective now, because an RCI must come from the advice of the prime minister to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong – and currently, we are calling for the prime minister, Anwar Ibrahim, to step down,” he said.

He also challenged Rafizi to state where he stands on the prime minister’s leadership if he is serious about pushing for institutional reforms.

He said Rafizi should raise the matter of the alleged judicial interference at the Prime Minister’s Question Time session on July 22.

“There are three questions; the opposition gets (to ask) one. Hamzah will be asking about the judiciary issue. If Rafizi wants, he can ask a supplementary question then.”

Rafizi had earlier called on all MPs to support the setting up of an RCI and urged the parliamentary select committee on human rights, elections, and institutional reforms to summon Anwar for questioning.

He also encouraged MPs to back the filling of key judicial vacancies based on the recommendations of the Judicial Appointments Commission.