Takiyuddin Hassan, the secretary-general of Malaysia's Islamist Party (PAS), has responded to the recent warning from the Agong, Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, regarding attempts to overthrow Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's government. Takiyuddin stated that the Agong's warning was his "personal view" and emphasized the need for it to align with the federal constitution.
During a session in the Dewan Rakyat, the Agong expressed his refusal to entertain any request from political parties that could threaten political stability or aim to overthrow the government. However, Takiyuddin referenced the constitution, which allows for the consideration of a prime minister losing the confidence of the majority in parliament even while it is still in session.
According to Takiyuddin, the federal government can be replaced either inside or outside of parliament, with a vote of confidence being the method used within parliament. He cited the example of 2021 when Anwar, then in the opposition, attempted to overthrow the Perikatan Nasional government by claiming majority support in parliament.
Political Coups in Malaysia
Malaysia has experienced political coups and changes in government since the 2018 general elections, with two political coups and four prime ministers during this period.
The first coup, known as the Sheraton Move in 2020, led to the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government just 22 months after it came to power. PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang claimed that he initiated the Sheraton Move due to concerns that PH, by ratifying the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (Icerd), was attempting to eliminate the special rights of Malays. This move resulted in the formation of a new political coalition, Perikatan Nasional, which took over the government.
The second coup saw Muhyiddin Yassin stepping down as prime minister after 17 months, leading to his replacement by Umno's Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
In the 2022 General Election, Anwar and Pakatan Harapan secured the most seats in parliament but fell short of an outright majority. After negotiations, Pakatan Harapan formed a unity government with Barisan Nasional, with Anwar as prime minister, while Perikatan Nasional became the opposition.
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