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Expensive Dissolution of Parliament Statement by Dr Tan Seng Giaw, DAP National Vice-Chairman on the dissolution of Parliament on 11 November 1999. | |||||||
| At 4.00 PM on 10 November 1999, the Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad annonced the dissolution of Parliament the next day. This paves the way for the Election Commission to fix the date for the general elections which must be held within 60 days of the dissolution. The earliest time to have the nominations of candidates is at least four days after the dissolution and the shortest period for polling day is seven days after nominations. While the Prime Minister was preparing to deliver his speech from his office in Putrjaya, I was one of the last speakers at the last meeting of the Nineth Parliament. I called on the Prime Minister to use his office as a statesman to ensure that the coming elections will be the cleanest in the history of Malaysia. A few months ago, he said that the coming elections would be the dirtiest in the nation's history. However, he has all the resources to make sure that his words would not be proven by events. As the Prime Minister, he has the rights to communicate with the peope, explaining government policies and measures. In practice, he has misused this previlege, by prattling about the records of the ruling party, the Barisan Nasional (National Front) and castigating the Barisan Alternatif (Alternative Front). He has engaged in blatant electioneering. Having done that, he should have let the Barisan Alternatif use the same facilities. There is a difference between a government and a political party. Once a political party wins the power to rule, it should behaves as a government | |
withoust the abuse of the government office. Obviously, this has yet to be driven home. The Prime Minister has to consider the disaffection and discontent of the people. No doubt, he thinks that the best time for Barisan Nasional to go to the poll is now. What does it mean to the people? The last meeting of Parliament started on 12 October 1999 and the 2000 Budget was presented on 29 October 1999 with over 30 items of largesse. The debate should have gone on to the second week of December, 1999. Alas, the largesse would not be enjoyed by the people because the budget had not been passed in Parliament and a new budget would have to be presented by a new government after the elections. The dissolution of Parliament in the middle of the budget means a wastage of public fund. 192 members of parliament were paid allowances including travelling and accommodation. Much had been spent by the various ministries especially the Finance Ministry to prepare the budget. Now, it is put on hold until a new budget is presented some time in January, 2000. This was done before in 1990. There is a conflict between the interest of Malaysians and that of the Barisan Nasional. The Barisan Nasional has taken preference. With its control over the mass media, the money and the machinery, the three M, it has ridden roughshod over the people, hoping to retain the hegemony with the two-third majority in Parliament. Malaysians must break this hegemony, putting a new meaning into Malaysian parliamentary democracy.
Dr Tan Seng Giaw | |||||
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