KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 10 ― Government critics hoping to change the prime minister can forget about pushing for a vote of no confidence in Parliament as the only way to do so is if Umno changes its leader, People’s Progressive Party (PPP) president Tan Sri M. Kayveas said today.
Kayveas, whose role as special adviser to Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai accords him the same ministerial status, said the no-confidence vote was a gimmick by opposition politicians to mislead the public.
“There is no such thing as vote of no confidence in Parliament. This is something new. Why create something new? It gives the wrong impression. We don’t have such a ruling or policy,” he told reporters at the PPP Deepavali open house held in Brickfields here.
He explained that the prime ministership is decided based on the chairmanship of the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, and added that by custom, it was held by the same person who was Umno president.
As such, the prime minister could only be changed if Umno changed its president, he said.
“Only if Umno change the leader, then BN can change the leader and in Parliament you can change the leader. You cannot simply have a vote of no confidence. There is no such thing. [It’s] just a gimmick,” he said.
Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail filed a notice for the motion on the vote of no confidence against Najib on October 22.
However, Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia said the motion is not likely to be debated, citing Standing Orders 26 and 27 stipulate that a motion notice must be filed 14 days before a meeting convenes.
