Why is He Still There?

• 22 September 2020
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Convicted criminal Najib Razak, elected to the Legislatve Assembly for Pekan in the 2018 general election continues to be a member of that Assembly and acts as such despite the provisions of Article 48 of the Constitution which specifically bars convicted criminals in specific categories (of which he is covered by one) from membership of the Assembly. The relevant article makes no mention of exemption pending the outcome of any appeal(s) and it is clear that Najib is no longer a member of the Assembly and that he cannot take part in any of its proceedings, let alone vote there.

In other circumstances one more or one less criminal member of the Assembly might not have the importance or significance of this particular instance but in the face of a Prime Minister selected not by members of the Assembly but by royal fiat of doubtful constitutional legality and who enjoys a majority of none the presence of a convicted criminal debarred from membership if the Assembly is of crucial importance. What say you Moo? And, just as important, what does the Head of State have to say about “his” government ruling without a legal majority?

Of course the Constitution provides the answer. Why not read and follow it?