GEORGE TOWN: Having a fixed-term parliament act may subvert democratic and constitutional processes in the country, a former DAP leader said.
As such, Dr P. Ramasamy questioned why there were those who supported legislation that would ensure that a government would stay in power for a fixed term.
Umno president and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had proposed a fixed-term parliament act to enable the government to ensure political stability in order to address the needs of the people.
The proposal was welcomed by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.
Ramasamy questioned why Zahid and Azalina should be worried since the present Madani government had majority support in Parliament.
"Are these two ministers worried that the majority support of the government may not last? Is this the reason behind the fixed-term parliament legislation?
"There is no need for fixed-term if the present government can last the remainder of the five-year term.
"However, if the fixed-term legislation is introduced, it may pose a legal and constitutional problem if the government loses majority support in the Parliament," he said.
Ramasamy, the current United for the Rights of Malaysians (Urimai) interim council president, said the question was not the law on the fixed-term but whether the government has the majority support in Parliament.
"It will be redundant to have the fixed-term law if the government loses its majority support.
"I am not sure whether this idea of a fixed-term law is in response to rumours of impending crossovers of members of parliament (MPs) to the side of the opposition, and not to mention that much talked about 'Dubai Move', a plot to remove the government in power.
"Alternatively, there are counter-rumours saying that the present government may get more crossovers from the opposition to beef up its parliamentary strength.
"If the latter has some basis, why do leaders like Zahid and Azalina have to worry about introducing a fixed-term legislation. The very idea of a fixed-term parliamentary legislation is odd and crazy.
"No government instituted on the basis of people's mandate will want to bring in legislation that may usurp the democratic rights of the citizens," he added, noting that such a legislation, if introduced, would be authoritarian in nature, intended to subvert the democratic process in the country.
Ramasamy said he was ashamed that ministers like Zahid and Azalina were thinking about such retrograde legislation.
He said, ideally, the present government of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim should served for one full term.
"This was the mandate given in the last general elections. However, the mandate to govern is not automatic, it must be based on the majority support of the MPs. If the government loses the support of the majority, it ceases to exist and new elections might be called by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
"If the new fixed-term is introduced, can it have the potential not only to subvert the democratic function of Parliament but interfere in the constitutional process of the country?" he asked.
According to Ramasamy, the Madani government, rather than thinking of ways and means to improve its democratic credentials, should not opt for undemocratic mechanisms to stay in power.