SD on Ku Li was backup to no confidence vote, DAP MP claims

KUALA LUMPUR, March 29 — The statutory declaration (SD) endorsing Tan Sri Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah as prime minister was meant as a backup to the initial plan to move a no confidence vote in Parliament against Datuk Seri Najib Razak, a DAP lawmaker said today.

The lawmaker, Seremban MP Anthony Loke, acknowledged that Tengku Razaleigh or Ku Li had earlier today claimed ignorance on the SD but insisted that the document does exist and that the Gua Musang’s men had approached DAP lawmakers on it some time ago.

“We were asked to sign the SD. To say that the SD was non-existent is not accurate,” Loke told the Malay Mail Online, referring to DAP members.

“If we cannot move a motion in Parliament (against PM Najib), that is a backup plan, the alternative plan to the motion of no confidence,” he added.

Loke noted that previous plans to vote down Najib’s Budget 2016 failed to work and said the SD was one alternative to show the prime minister the door.

“The voting down of the (2016) Budget did not happen, so if that cannot happen, the other alternative is to get the SD signed and sent to the Agong,” he said.

Earlier, Loke reportedly said that none of the DAP members had signed the SD and that they demanded that Ku Li first get the numbers from Barisan Nasional (BN).

“Of course we did not sign. None of the DAP members signed, but of course we gave our commitment that if they have enough numbers, at least 112 MPs.

“We have 37, so if they have 85 and they need 37 from DAP, we give our full commitment that we will give the 37 votes to them to make the 112,” he added.

Loke said as it stands, there has been no progress on the SD though the issue has made headlines.

At a press conference earlier today, Ku Li denied any knowledge of the purported SD that endorsed him as prime minister.

He also denied lobbying politicians to make him the new head of state, amid calls for Najib’s resignation.

“I’m not the author,” Tengku Razaleigh said, referring to the SD.

“I’ve no knowledge of it,” the Kelantan prince continued, adding that he only saw the document yesterday.

The SD first appeared on the Facebook page of DAP’s Kluang MP Liew Chin Tong, who posted it as a response to claims that Ku Li was not part of any attempt to unseat Najib.

The three-page unsigned SD expressed loss of confidence in Najib and also called for the resignations of the prime minister and his Cabinet members.

The document also endorsed instead Ku Li as the next prime minister.