By Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Tanjung, Lim Kit Siang, in Petaling Jaya on Wednesday, August 4, 1993:
The question whether Ghafar still commands the confidence of Parliament, in particular the majority of UMNO MPs, must be decided before Parliament adjourns today or Ghafar Baba will become a ‘lame duck’ Deputy Prime Minister for the next four months
Yesterday, I gave notice to the Speaker, Tan Sri Mohamed Zahir Ismail, that I would move a motion of urgent, definite public importance under Standing Order 18 when Parliament meets at 2.30p.m. today.
The motion I had submitted is as follows:
“That this House gives leaves to the Ketua Pembangkang, YB Lim Kit Siang under S.O. 18 to adjourn the House on a matter of urgent, definite public importance, namely the position of the YAB Ghafar Baba as Deputy Prime Minister as to whether he enjoys the confidence of Parliament, as this is a matter of urgent, definite public importance for the following reasons:
“Firstly, the statement by the Chairman of the Back-benchers’Club (BBC), YB Shahidan Kassim last Thursday that the majority of UMNO MPs would nominate Finance Minister, YB Datuk Anwar Ibrahim to contest the post of UMNO deputy president so as to become Deputy Prime Minister tantamount to an open expression of no confidence by the majority of UMNO MPs in YAB Ghafar Baba as Deputy Prime Minister;
“Secondly, the withdrawal of support for YAB Ghafar Baba by the majority of UMNO MPs, who form the backbone of Barisan Nasional MPs, has compromised and undermined the position of YAB Ghafar Baba as Deputy Prime Minister and raised the question as to whether he could effectively, honorably and credibly continue as Deputy Prime Minister.
“Thirdly, the statement by the Chairman of the BBC has created a political, government, parliamentary and constitutional crisis because:
(a) it is politically and constitutionally improper that YAB Ghafar Baba should continue as Deputy Prime Minister when he has lost the confidence of Parliament as signified by withdrawal of support by the majority of UMNO MPs;
(b) if YAB Ghafar Baba continue as Deputy Prime Minister under these circumstances, he would become a ‘lame duck’ Deputy Prime Minister for the next months, not only ineffective in government and inside the country, but project a bad international image for the country as well;
“Fourthly, the urgency that before Dewan Rakyat adjourns sine until the budget meeting next October, Parliament must take clear as to whether YAB Ghafar Baba still commands the confidence of Parliament, and in particular the majority of UMNO MPs; so that:
(a) if he still commands the confidence of Parliament, and in particular the majority of the UMNO MPs, YAB Ghafar Baba can continue as Deputy Prime Minister with full credibility, effectiveness and authority; or
(b) if he has lost the confidence of Parliamen, and in particular the majority of the UMNO MPs, YAB Ghafar Baba can grecefull resign as Deputy Prime Minister for the next four months and allow a new Deputy Prime Minister to be appointed immidiately.”
It is important that the question whether Ghafar Baba still commands the confidence of Parliament, in particular the majority of UMNO MPs, should be made clear before Parliament adjourns today, or Ghafar Baba would become a ‘lame duck’ Deputy Prime Minister for the next four months.
I want to make it very clear that the DAP motion is not a ‘no-confidence motion’ on Ghafar Baba, but a motion to establish whether Ghafar Baba still commands the confidence of Parliament, in particular the majority of UMNO MPs, in view of the announcement by the BBC Chairman, Shahidan Kassim, that the majority of UMNO MPs support Anwar Ibrahim as UMNO Deputy President and Deputy Prime Minister.
Unless Shahidan Kassim is prepared to declare that when the majority of UMNO MPs declared their support for Anwar Ibrahim as UMNO Deputy Prime Minister, Parliament must address the question whether Ghafar Baba still commands the confidence of Parliament to effectively, credibly and honourably continue as Deputy Prime Minister.