ZAINUL ARIFIN: Absenteeism may scuttle the motion
Say, if 10 of the former cabinet members were to be absent most of the time, then BN backbenchers would be 66-strong, and assuming the normal number of absentees due to MPs needing to be somewhere else, then the backbenchers' strength could be further depleted.
By Zainul Arifin, New Straits Times
IT is presumptuous of me, but I suspect that the opposition may have better luck in Parliament now than before.
The operative words are "better luck" and not necessarily something the opposition can take to the bank.
Nevertheless, their chances of influencing proceedings in Parliament are now technically better.
While the number of elected Barisan Nasional members of parliament remains somewhat the same as last year, I suspect that the major mid-term cabinet reshuffle, following Datuk Seri Najib Razak's appointment as prime minister, will effectively reduce the number of active backbenchers.
Currently, BN has 140 MPs, while the opposition has 82.
Of the BN elected representatives, 29 are ministers, 33 deputy ministers, and two deputy speakers. This means BN has 76 backbenchers, and toe-to-toe they are six fewer than the number of opposition MPs.
Now, consider the fact that of the 76 backbenchers, at least 15 are ex-cabinet members, including a former prime minister, a former finance minister, a former international trade and industry minister and a former home minister.
They include Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Tengku Tan Sri Razaleigh Hamzah, Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz, Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar, Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting, Datuk Seri Jamaludin Jarjis, Datuk Seri Fong Chan Ong, and Datuk Shahrir Samad.
In theory, such a formidable line-up supporting the frontbenchers is great. But would they be regular faces in Parliament?
I don't wish to prejudge them. Nevertheless, I do not see most of the veteran MPs and former cabinet members attending parliamentary sittings as regularly and diligently as, say, a first-term MP or those from the opposition.
As it is, senior members of parliament and former cabinet members rarely attend sittings, unless, of course, it's a major event — like the opening of a session or the tabling of an important bill such as the annual budget.
Some suggest that their absence is largely because they do not want to loom large over their successors, who would be at the frontline promoting and defending government policies. Nor would they want to be in the house to see their policies changed or criticised.
Also, it has been suggested that former cabinet members do not want to offer the opposition the opportunity to revisit their decisions in their respective ministries.
Say, if 10 of the former cabinet members were to be absent most of the time, then BN backbenchers would be 66-strong, and assuming the normal number of absentees due to MPs needing to be somewhere else, then the backbenchers' strength could be further depleted.
Such a situation could prove advantageous to the opposition, especially if experienced government MPs stayed away, and cabinet members and their deputies were bogged down with commitments and travel.
There is the likelihood there would likely be more opposition members present than government representatives during sessions.
In terms of experience, perennial opposition members such as Lim Kit Siang and Karpal Singh are seasoned representatives who are likely to be the first to sign in every morning, marshal their attacks and fire salvos across the aisle.
Together with opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who is also someone with considerable parliamentary experience, they could likely dominate proceedings, simply by virtue of their being wily and by their understanding of the house's rules and regulations.
Expect, too, a lot of baiting and ideological battles.
There are, of course, members of the frontbenches and, in fact, the backbench who are more than able to match them, but those in the government are unlikely to be at sittings daily.
The government whips, presumably, are expected to have more to do, especially in making sure MPs attend sittings, particularly when voting on motions are to take place.
The government was almost caught once before, in the previous sitting, when its MPs were not in the house in numbers greater than that of the opposition.
Ironically, while we are seeing the strongest government backbench ever in terms of experience and knowledge, we might also see a weak one if many of them do not make regular appearances in parliamentary sittings.
