The farce and fiasco of the 24-hour resignation of the MCA Perlis Assemblyman for Titi Tinggi, Yip Sun Onn, exposes the total breakdown of authority of the MCA leadership.
There was none from anyone of the Three Kingdom camps of the MCA leadership who could reach and influence Yip, which had to be done by the Umno leaders, involving not only the Perlis Mentri Besar, Datuk Seri Dr. Md Isa Sabu, the Perlis Speaker Datuk Yazid Mat but also the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his deputy, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
No wonder Yazid as the Speaker made the most eloquent remark last evening to the Malaysian Insider reporter “I am very tired. I think what I said is enough. The seat is not vacant” when refusing to further comment on Yip’s case apart from confirming that he had received an SMS from Yip informing him of his retraction.
Poor Yazid and the Perlis UMNO Mentri Besar, who appeared to bear the fullest brunt on the pressures arising from Yip’s letter of resignation – when it should be the MCA leaders but who appeared to be completely impotent in the matter.
It would appear that Umno is even more frightened than MCA to have a by-election in Titi Tinggi.
What a way to mark Najib’s first full year as Prime Minister of Malaysia.
The Perlis Speaker may have his political duties to perform but this does not mean he is right in allowing Yip to retract his resignation – through SMS and not even through a letter!
If a Pakatan Rakyat MP or State Assembly representative is to sent in his or her resignation to the Speaker who is from the Barisan Nasional, would he or she be allowed to retract the resignation?
The answer is quite obvious.
The Speaker must rise above the fray of party politics. Yazid told Malaysiakini yesterday that Yip had “repented from his action” and gave the assurance that “Barisan Nasional did not entice him to stay put as a state assemblyperson with any kind of offers or promises”.
How does the Speaker know for sure one way or another if he stays scrupulously above the fray of party politics in the Perlis State Assembly?
The Titi Tinggi resignation farce is another setback for the doctrine of separation of powers and the cause of institutional integrity.
The Speaker’s role, upon receipt of letter of resignation is to determine if that letter were freely made, and not forged or made under coercion that would otherwise render it void.
Once that is determined Speaker’s role is that of a messenger, to notify that to Election Commission (EC) whose duty it is, under present rules, to determine if a “casual vacancy” for which a by election has to be called within 60 days.
It is no business of a Speaker to be involved in the political “fun and games” of dissuading an Assemblyman to retract his resignation – whether monetary or material inducements or otherwise.
#1 by johnnypok on Thursday, 25 March 2010 - 12:21 pm
Good show, more to come, more resign, retract, more millions change hand, more shit, and no more celebration.
#2 by frankyapp on Thursday, 25 March 2010 - 12:38 pm
Politicians with power have no principle,no sense of fairness and worse still have no morality at all. If it’s its interest,everything is okay no matter whether it’s white or black. On the contrary,if it’s adverse to them,then everything is not okay. Like I said b4,it’s the very reason why Malaysia could not progress to devolop stage since the Umno/BN politicians only think about their interest and not the interest of the country.
#3 by Dipoh Bous on Thursday, 25 March 2010 - 1:06 pm
I wonder what ‘amazing’ events will unfold after this….
#4 by Godfather on Thursday, 25 March 2010 - 1:47 pm
Apparently Yip retracted his resignation letter by way of sms to the Speaker. I’m willing to put some money on the possibility that the sms came from the phone of an UMNO division member somewhere in Perlis….
#5 by Godfather on Thursday, 25 March 2010 - 1:48 pm
Everything in Bolehland is decided by UMNO. No need for BN minority parties to think. Big Brother knows what is good for you.
#6 by Bunch of Suckers on Thursday, 25 March 2010 - 1:51 pm
For those disassociate with this Hanjin Party MCA/BN would be respected and admired!
More & more are disassociating and distancing themselves from this so-called HANJIN MCA Party… BN/MCA is heading to collapse and disintegrate….
#7 by k1980 on Thursday, 25 March 2010 - 2:00 pm
Yip Sun Onn hopped back to BN immediately after he got a phone call from Insp Sirul who kaabooomed off Altan.
#8 by Jeffrey on Thursday, 25 March 2010 - 2:51 pm
You may also want to ask our Perlis speaker that, if he now thinks that a retraction of a resignation from state assembly post by Yip is permissible by sms – whether he also thinks a state assemblyman can equally resign from state assembly post in first instance by mere sms to him instead of a formal letter of resignation signed! If he said “no” to the instance of resignation, could he say “yes” to its retraction? An interesting question.
Perlis Speaker takes the position that he has power to hold on the first letter of resignation and not submit it to Election Commission because he needs to establish authenticity of resignation letter, whether signature is forged and if authentic, whether the person purporting to resign does it at his own volition free from coercion. Now has Speaker done the same due diligence on authenticity of sms retraction and that it was retracted free from coercion?
We hear that in Syariah cases husbands could divorce wives by sms. Whilst I concede that in normal circumstances sms can constitute a document in writing since it’s a data message albeit electronically transmitted & verifiable by subsequent reference to records of Service Provider, yet that would not by itself absolve the Speaker from examining whether sms was actually sent by Yip (and not someone else via his HP) and sent by Yip voluntarily free from coercion.
You are right to refer “political fun and games” which are played not only be allegedly the Speaker but Yip himself. What makes Yip think that if he submits a formal signed letter of resignation to the Speaker, that constitutes record, he could change that record by an sms retraction unsigned? Or does it mean that he is also not “final” about this sms retraction – that’s why by sms – as it has been claimed earlier that he was not final of his written & signed resignation in first instance?
Consider these:
· His grievances include his being replaced by Dr Por in the Perlis State Executive Council and, as further explained by Perlis MCA chief Chew Mei Fun, the problems of issuance of land titles to the residents in his constituency & also “local MCA problems” which are likely still not redressed by his party in view of what you call a “total breakdown of authority of MCA leadership” by reason of its current leadership turmoil and tussle. Top brass have no time to look into his grouses.
· Yip did not turn up for the state assembly pre-council meeting on 24th March raising speculation as to whether he would attend the state assembly meeting scheduled for April 6 and 7 (Sinchew) – and also whether he was serious in his alleged retraction by sms. It is as if he was overwhelmed by UMNO big bigs (instead of his own party) deciding for him that he should stay. The statements on retraction were (besides the sms yet to be verified) made by these others on his behalf than himself personally.
In light of the above, one could ask if the Speaker were serious in authenticating Yip’s true intent free from coercion & pressure, whether he would look equally into these issues relating to the sms retraction as he so diligently applied himself in respect of the first signed letter of resignation. What is the legality of a sms retraction in the face of the signed hard copy of letter of resignation standing on record – something the Speaker has not addressed and is not prepared to address.
#9 by Winston on Thursday, 25 March 2010 - 4:13 pm
Any election will scare the shit off UMNO/BN because they’ll lose big!
The people has awaken, thanks to good work of the PR and especially those of Uncle Lim of the DAP!
Their nerves will be frayed until they’re booted out in the next GE!
What a way to go!
#10 by yhsiew on Thursday, 25 March 2010 - 4:39 pm
I believe Yip had no intention to resign. Presumably he was betting that his resignation letter would be rejected by BN leadership. Yip’s action was to threaten BN leadership in the hope that they would promote him to a more senior position.
Play-acting of this kind was not uncommon in the company which I worked for last time. Staff threw in their resignation letters and the manager would then beg them to not leave the company. Eventually the manager had to offer the staff salary increments in order to retain them.
#11 by k1980 on Thursday, 25 March 2010 - 5:35 pm
Had Yip been from PR, his resignation would have been immediately accepted by Jib, who would dance and yell out “Yip Yip Hooray! Jib Jib Boleh!”
#12 by ekans on Friday, 26 March 2010 - 1:10 am
Sorry to hear that Hulu Selangor MP Dato’ Dr. Zainal Abidin Ahmad of PKR had passed away. Since there will be a by-election in 60 days, I’m expecting that sparks will fly big time when UMNO’s BN will try to outcampaign Pakatan Rakyat for this seat. UMNO’s BN will likely to use those newly independent ex-PKR MPs to launch more aggressive & caustic attacks on PKR & Pakatan Rakyat because UMNO’s BN knows very well that winning this seat will serve as big blow to Pakatan Rakyat especially its Selangor state government. Pakatan Rakyat better be prepared and be on its toes this time, for failure is not an option.
#13 by monsterball on Friday, 26 March 2010 - 3:36 am
Who cares about MCA and who will be President.
That party was thrown out by voters…and it is an insult to Malaysians..with such thick skinned puppets chosen by Najib to be in the cabinet.
You can see in Parliament…..MCA are quiet as a mouse.
Najib need MCA to continue fooling Malaysians.
Najib and UMNO BARU are not democratic nor sincere towards Malaysians.
If Najib believe in “1Malaysia”…first thing to do…is disband all parties and become one..true Barisan National.
Always…for show…UMNO BARU will always be racists and divide Malaysians…..to rule.
With unity…Najib and UMNO BARU are finished.
#14 by MGR1940 on Friday, 26 March 2010 - 10:01 am
Now that Hulu Selangor by-election is next the Najib guys would have started scheduling opening schools,building ,roads, visiting kampongs,old folks,poor people and so on. Not to forget #12 ekans views.
I call on all the good voters of Dato’ Dr. Zainal Abidin to vote wisely again for the next PR candidate and not to be tricked by the dirty promises of Najib and gang.
#15 by Yee Siew Wah on Friday, 26 March 2010 - 11:12 am
I like this blogger comment on our SO CALLED CHINESE community leaders:-
OKT, Liow, Chua, Chan are all not fit to represent the chinese community. Except perhaps, Ong Tee Keat is the only one. At least he has guts to expose those corrupted and unethical politicians in MCA/BN . He is the best of the worsts among them. And because of his actions, those unscrupulous politicians and tycoons he stepped on are now trying to boot him out at all cost. OKT coming back from his political grave is one of them.
Dont tell us that out of more than 2700 delegates in MCA, there is not one of them suitable for the presidency and that including the deputy president. Those 2700 or more delegates are just “yes man” without any credibility???? What a joke!!!
I am no supporter of MCA. But under Hobson’s choice, i will vote for Ong Tee Keat irrespective. We cant have a porn star and a already politically death guy representing the chinese community
#16 by lopez on Saturday, 27 March 2010 - 12:32 pm
The supreme master of pee ends are jittery and not very happy……
good for m see hairs clowns, and very good for yippy yippy yak yak….but how come he did not get show cost letter,
it is very detrimental to the marriage of convenience..for 50 over years , no body dare at act like this except this yippy 2 yak2.
and as predicatable he chicken out and redrawn to his cosy pen.
hey dont play with fire….as people may say.