Salleh: Mahathir has lost the plot
Minister says Dr Mahathir lacks coherency by suggesting a referendum be held to check on the popularity of PM Najib Razak as any such poll is not legally binding.
(FMT) – Former Premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad seems to have lost the plot and his comments now lack coherency, says Communications and Multimedia Minister Salleh Said Keruak
He was referring to Mahathir’s latest blog posting, “Sacking and Popularity”, which Salleh said seems to have missed the point.
“Dr Mahathir is turning this into a popularity contest between him and Prime Minister Najib Razak. Is that what this is all about, a popularity contest?
“Malaysia does not practise a referendum system, especially one conducted by an international opinion poll company. No country in the world does that, not even the UK or US.”
Salleh asked whether a foreign polling company needed to take over from the Election Commission of Malaysia (SPR) the job of managing Malaysia’s next general election in 2018.
“Even if we do have a system of referendum in Malaysia, it should be the SPR that conducts it and not some foreign polling company. If not it would not be legally binding.
“Should Parliament now be asked to pass a new law to adopt the referendum system and make it constitutionally binding?
“What if Sabah and Sarawak, or maybe even Penang, decide to take advantage of this new law and hold a refendum whether to leave Malaysia? And what if the majority vote to leave Malaysia? Will it be legally binding?”
Salleh reminded that governments are not formed and prime ministers are not chosen based on popular votes.
“It is based on majority seats in Parliament. Any novice politician knows this.
“So I am surprised that Mahathir still thinks that popular votes decide who gets to form the government.”
Mahathir in the blog post said he would stop asking Najib to step down if he (Najib) won the national referendum.
He felt that such a poll would allow every voter to express his support for Najib.
“This way we can settle the question of Najib’s popularity and what the rakyat thinks of his financial scandals once and for all.”
