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Ambiga: Four ‘good’ reasons, my foot!

RK Anand| March 28, 2013
Free Malaysia Today

The Bersih chief dismisses the four reasons given by the Star’s group editor-in-chief for Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s delay in dissolving Parliament.

KUALA LUMPUR: In a comment piece published on the front-page of the Star today, the MCA-owned daily’s group editor-in-chief Wong Chun Wai stated four reasons for Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s feet-dragging on the dissolution of Parliament.

However, Bersih co-chairperson S Ambiga is not convinced with the four “good” reasons, which were:

*A caretaker government cannot enter into agreements at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (Lima).

*Finishing touches to some projects and programmes.

*Barisan Nasional’s candidates’ list not finalised.

*Impossible at the moment for politicians to campaign freely in Lahad Datu.

Commenting on the first reason cited, Ambiga told FMT that it is not a licence to dig into the public coffers to embark on a spending spree.

“Lima contracts were all foreseeable. If this was an aim, then why lead the public on a merry ride and threaten to dissolve Parliament for more than a year?” she asked.

Ambiga stressed that it is morally wrong to extend the dissolution date on this premise, adding that the move smacked of utter desperation.

“The way they [the incumbent government] are spending suggests that they are not certain of returning to power. And that is the whole point of a caretaker government: they should not make any contracts which the next incoming government would be bound by; you must uphold the status quo.

“It is wrong to rush into contracts when it is very close to the caretaker period,” she added.

As for Wong’s second point, Ambiga argued that putting the final touches on projects and programmes is also something that was foreseeable in the past.

“This once again suggests that they are not confident. It seems that for the first time, there is a confidence crisis [in BN] with regard to retaining Putrajaya.

“However, your nervousness does not justify spending the rakyat’s money so close to the election and for keeping us on hold regarding the election date,” she said.

‘Automatic dissolution is shameful’

On BN still finalising its list of candidates, the Bersih chairperson dismissed this as the weakest possible excuse.

Ambiga said the list has to be finalised before any general election, and since Najib has been toying with the people over the election date for more than a year, BN should have worked on the list a long time ago.

“This is a pathetic excuse for delaying the dissolution of Parliament,” she added.

As for the security in Lahad Datu being used as a reason, Ambiga expressed puzzlement.

“We were previously given the impression that everything was fine and safe… for the election to be held there. This is news to me. It seems like the government is caught in its own web of misinformation… I would like to know the truth about the situation there,” she said.

Commenting on the automatic dissolution of the Negeri Sembilan State Legislative Assembly last night, Ambiga said this is not something to be proud of as it meant that the incumbent government is being booted out of power by the Federal Constitution.

“…unless we amend the Constitution and have fixed dates for elections. Then everybody’s life goes on until the date of election; now everyone’s life is on hold… this is the psychological point and it is shameful,” she added.

Furthermore, Ambiga stated that automatic dissolution is a constitutional safeguard against recalcitrant regimes.

“Let me stress again that there was nothing to be proud of allowing for an automatic dissolution, although it was legal. No self-respecting government would allow that to happen,” she added.

Najib’s delay in dissolving Parliament has led to a litany of speculations, ranging from a lack of confidence to more last-minute plots being hatched against the opposition.

Parliament is scheduled for automatic dissolution on April 27.

26 Replies to “Ambiga: Four ‘good’ reasons, my foot!”

  5. 5.more sex video to hentam PR are still in the making
    6.najib oversea accounts are still awaiting approval
    7.rosie oversea safe boxes are still pending opening
    8.13may has yet to come for perkasa to come out with something
    9.umnoputra didahulukan pencapaian wang ringgit diutamakan has yet to give full return
    10.CSL has yet to confirm which hotel at gelang patah to perform and contest

  13. ///Defence Minsiter Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said today 24 deals involving defence assets and services worth RM4.2 billion have been signed between the ministry, local and international defence firms, and the Pahang government at the ongoing Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (Lima 2013).///–Malaysiakini

    The 4.2 billion was treated like 4.2 ringgit. A caretaker government should not commit the next government so soon before the end of the current government. That is why Najib has not dissolve the parliament, and it is definitely a bad reason to keep the parliament going.

  15. Is Wong Chun Wai belong to Gelakan?

    Seeing his 4 fingers on Star front page, many threw it into dustbin. Throwing not the paper, but Wong Chun Wai into dustbin.

    How can BN candidates list not ready, justify not to resolve parliament? why about if PR candidates list not ready, then. If this is not abuse of power, what is?

    How can BN ready then? how many yrs they need?

    For the past 2 yrs, past 55yrs, BN is waiting for next 2 months to get their programmes and project to finish, which of them? if they could be done in 55yrs, if will never be done.

    If you can’t excuse thing out, don’t force it thru, not every mind operates like BN.

  16. The 4 excuses cooked up by Datuk Wong Chun Wai makes him looks stupid. Makes him a prime candidate for any comedy awards. Many people fear that it is a “buying time” strategy not only to develop more plots to stain the opposition BUT more dangerously, to increase phantom voters into strategic areas and perhaps give out more ICs?

  18. Wong Chun Wai goes to church every Sunday. The rest of the weekdays he goes about spinning lies, deceits, preying on people’s vanity, ignorance or loneliness, gaining their trust and betraying them without remorse. As Editor, his job it is to separate the wheat from the chaff, and to see that the chaff is printed. Considering that he and The Star ( if you want to call it newspaper ) operate under severe time constraints and have the intellectual depth of hamsters, they are doing a super job.

    I wonder what Chun Wai does in church on those Sundays!

  19. Which church does Chun Wai go to?
    Do they teach anything about integrity there?
    Or that corruption should be exposed and shouted from rooftops?
    Or that man cannot serve 2 masters? That you cannot serve God and mammon?
    Or…. Or….
    Or….. Or…..
    There are 101 commandments if Chun Wai does not already know.
    Read Max Lucado, Chun Wai. Read Max Lucado.

  20. Now if you want to be an MCA mouthpiece, you have got to be able to write…. and write readable, credible sense.

    I had already given up on Chun Wai’s editorials for as long as I care to remember. After reading a person’s writing twice ( and that’s all it takes), you know if you should waste any more time reading them in future. That was what I decided after just reading Wai’s editorials twice. You need to have substance, intellect and the ability to communicate….and I mean communicate.

    Chun Wai should read Steve Forbes’ editorials for a few 101 lessons.

  22. “*A caretaker government cannot enter into agreements at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (Lima).”

    Then its just too bad. Wait for the next Lima. Let the new government commit to it. Why must do it with haste?

    “*Finishing touches to some projects and programmes.”

    Bull shit! So you delay projects hoping for a bail-out, and now you are short of time?

    ” *Barisan Nasional’s candidates’ list not finalised.”

    That’s you problem. You had 5 years to decide?
    CSL should be dropped. He will lose wherever he stands.

    ” *Impossible at the moment for politicians to campaign freely in Lahad Datu.”

    If its fair to Pakatan, then let the campaign begin, since both coalition are facing the same problem and danger.Why hold up the whole country?

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