No-confidence motion against PM unlikely to succeed

KUALA LUMPUR - The motion of no-confidence against the Prime Minister is unlikely to come up during the current Parliamentary sitting, says Wong Chen.

The motion, which was submitted by Hee Loy Sian (PKR-Petaling Jaya Selatan) appeared as item number 25 in the day's order paper.

As Government and administrative agendas would usually be given priority, the motion is unlikely to be raised in this Parliamentary sitting, said Wong (PKR-Kelana Jaya).

"The no-confidence vote is at number 25, so that's impossible. It's business of the day first, business of the Government so there's absolutely zero chance of it being done today (Monday)," Wong said outside Parliament.

"It might happen on the very last day of Parliament (Dec 3) but that's also very unlikely. So the matter is dead. It's done, so to speak," he said.

"We don't have the numbers. I mean if PAS fully cooperates with us, it will be 88 of us. We need 112," he said.

Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak only smiled when reporters asked for his comment on the no-confidence vote.

New seating arrangements have also come into effect for the first day of the sitting.

Most notably, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is now placed in the first row of Block A, next to the Prime Minister, while his predecessor Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin now sits in the first row of Block E along with other backbenchers Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah and Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan.

Muhyiddin only smiled and waved when pressed by reporters during his arrival, who hounded him as he walked towards the Dewan Rakyat from the building entrance.

The seats of Opposition and Government MPs were changed following the July 28 Cabinet reshuffle and the breakdown of Pakatan Rakyat.

From Barisan National, five MPs' seats were reshuffled.

After the setting up of PAS splinter group, Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah), PAS only has 14 MPs from 21.

PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang no longer occupies a seat amongst senior Opposition leaders.

Instead, Amanah vice-president Datuk Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa occupies the seat alongside PKR president and opposition leader Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (PKR-Permatang Pauh), DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Gelang Patah) and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng (DAP-Bagan) at Block I-3.

Najib is also expected to submit a motion nominating newly-elected Rompin MP Datuk Hasan Ariffin as Public Account Committee (PAC) chairman, in place of Pulai MP Datuk Nur Jazlan.