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| Southeast Asia |
| State revolt rocks MalaysiaŽs embattled government |
| 2009-04-15 |
| [Jakarta Post] Malaysia's ruling coalition was rocked by fresh political turmoil Tuesday amid suspicions that its legislators were trying to oust an unpopular leader in an oil-rich state. The apparent revolt is the latest headache for new Prime Minister Najib Razak, who is trying to curb infighting in his bid to revive support for the coalition of the National Front. But the effort suffered a setback amid intense speculation that some representatives were planning a no-confidence vote against Terengganu state Chief Minister Ahmad Said, who has become hugely unpopular after removing key officials he allegedly disliked. In an apparent snub to Ahmad, 10 of the coalition's 24 lawmakers in the northeastern state did not attend a legislative meeting Tuesday, said Rahman Mokhtar, a National Front legislator who attended the meeting and opted out of the revolt. Open revolts are rare in the ruling coalition and brings attention to factions that could undermine efforts to forge a more united, effective front against a resurgent opposition. The rebellion is also a major distraction for the prime minister as he grapples with dissent among ethnic Indian and Chinese minority officials who have questioned decisions by Malay majority leaders. At a news conference Tuesday, the 10 lawmakers said they avoided the meeting out of fears for their safety, the national news agency Bernama reported. Three of them alleged they received text messages with threats of violence and death. Bernama quoted their chief representative, Rosol Wahid, as saying the group was not planning a no-confidence vote. However, several local media reports said such a vote was likely. Ahmad has warned in recent days that any National Front lawmaker who introduces a vote against him would face disciplinary action, including expulsion from the coalition. It is widely known that most of the 10 dissenting legislators have been unhappy with Ahmad's appointment. He took office amid controversy last March after the state's constitutional ruler rejected the National Front's initial choice for the chief ministerial post in the coastal state. Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who met with several Terengganu legislators prepared to discuss the conflict, said Tuesday it was "a matter of concern" because the problems in Terengganu would grow worse. The rebellion is unlikely to affect the National Front's control of Terengganu, where it holds 24 of the 32 state legislature seats. Some political observers also believe Najib would prefer a new chief minister in Terengganu. The National coalition has governed Malaysia for nearly 52 years and controls nine of Malaysia's 13 states. It retained power with its weakest parliamentary majority ever in March 2008 elections. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #1 Compare wid TOPIX/WORLD MIL FORUM > THAILAND'S GOVT. ORDERS CONTINGENCY PLANS FOR EVACUATION OF LEADERS, FALL OF GOVERNMENT. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2009-04-15 22:35 |