PM blames dissolution of Parliament on PN ministers' letter to Agong

Malaysiakini : Caretaker Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob has blamed the dissolution of Parliament on 12 Perikatan Nasional (PN) ministers, who recently penned a letter to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to record their objections for the 15th general election (GE15) to be held within this year.

He said the action had undermined the prime minister institution and the solidarity among members of the federal administration.

"As per my special address yesterday, the dissolution of Parliament was to give back the mandate to choose the government to the rakyat, and hence put a stop to claims that the government of the day is a 'back door' and illegitimate administration.

"This decision (to dissolve Parliament) was also made following the current political development, where 12 ministers had acted unreasonably by sending a letter to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

Kilimanjaro : Ismail Sabri had taken a number of brickbats" but this latest statement smacks of another hypocrisy. Isn't it surprising that he woke up one morning and some kind of wisdom or even guilt started bothering him - that the claim of an illegitimate govt and a backdoor govt had started to "haunt" him.

He perhaps couldn't hold that guilt anymore that he had decided enough is enough. If this kind of "enlightenment" had come when either he and UMNO brought down an elected govt or when he became the PM,then this could be believable and even salutary.

Not only this sermon is not worth of any value, it also strips him of any legitimacy and sincerity. Eleven Ministers have had writen to the Agong explaining to defer elections. Ismail Sabri seems to have taken offence and rightly so. It erodes his legitimacy and those who wrote are unbelievably recalcitrant.

One would assume that not all cabinet members would have a single voice on any matters raised and debated. Notwithstanding, following the cardinal principle of "collective responsibility" once a cabinet dcision is made, every cabinet member is supposed to toe the line. Instead by ignoring or disregarding the Cabinet's decision and "complaining" to the Agong - this is not mere ignorance but an "uneducated" and a morally repulsive behaviour.

The option for this if they do not agree with the decision and held on to it is to resign from the Cabinet. That would be the most honourable way but instead what we came to know is a disgraceful behaviour of some Ministers who wanted to hold on to their coats and ties, devoid of any moral or principle. But it is necessary to see the basis of this problem. When a PM is head of a coaltion Govt, it is incumbent upon him to be one.

A coalition comes with different views but the perception may have been that Ismail Sabri may have pandered to UMNO's views rather than a coalition's view. So, when a PM corners his cabinet colleagues with his party's views, such a catch-22 situation may have meant only one thing - damned you do and damned you don't.

Such a dysfunctional Cabinet cannot be expected to solve a country's problems and UMNO had become known as one that pulls down govts and Ismail Sabri is part of that UMNO.His reputation may have suffered a huge blow. It now has become the talk that he is nothing more than a remote-controlled figure, dancing to the tunes and schemes of UMNO.

Aisyalam : It shows that he is not able to command the full authority as a PM with the existing leaders in UMNO controlling his narrative. Any other UMNO leader, other than its President, becoming the PM will be facing the same debacle. The only other unacceptable option is the court cluster nominee to return as PM.

Iphonezours : Come on Ismail, please don’t give this excuse that the letter from the PN ministers to His Majesty was the root cause of the dissolution. I am sure these ministers have previously raised during cabinet meetings & objected to elections during the monsoon period. However you were more inclined to listening to your party, much to the disappointment of His Majesty.

Newday : Acting PM - and there sure is a lot of acting by you in this statement. PN did what every other Party outside of UMNO did. Asked for election next year. Do not deflect the blame. Meanwhile in UMNO World, Zahid Hamidi had his way with you and we now have an imminent election.Don’t appear to be so foolish in making statements like this one is my suggestion.

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