SAPP: Ada ancaman untuk teruskan "undi tidak percaya"

SAPP alleges threats after no-confidence push

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) - A member party of Malaysia's ruling coalition, which has campaigned for a no-confidence vote against the prime minister, said yesterday its lawmakers had been threatened and bullied.

The Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) dropped a bombshell last week when it called for the vote against Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, in a move analysts said could unleash defections to the opposition.

Its two lawmakers were absent from Parliament when it resumed yesterday. The party said they had been recalled to Kota Kinabalu in Sabah state on Borneo Island to discuss their safety and that of their families and offices.

"Events in the last 24 hours have taken a disturbing turn. Among others, we have received reports of intimidating and bullying tactics," the president of the Chinese-based party Yong Teck Lee said in a statement.

He said there had been text messages and phone calls "implying threats" to the two members of parliament (MP) and their aides, and that at a gathering of the ruling party United Malay National Organisation "aggressive words touching on racial incitement were used".

"In view of this disturbing turn of events, SAPP has taken extra caution for the safety of the MPs by calling them back to the party headquarters in Kota Kinabalu for consultations on the next course of action," he said.
The Pakatan Rakyat opposition alliance has said it is reluctant to mount a no-confidence vote, but would use a parliamentary debate yesterday on an unpopular fuel price hike as a test of confidence in the embattled government.

"The Pakatan Rakyat are trying to highlight the problems with the Government policies, and our opposition to today's motion shows the people's lack of confidence in Abdullah," said Azmin Ali, vice-president of the Keadilan party, which heads the alliance.

"This is something which we can use to send a message to the Government. The present leadership, especially the prime minister and the entire Cabinet, are incompetent to manage the economy and the future of Abdullah to lead this country is untenable," he told AFP.

Abdullah has been fighting for his political survival since March elections that saw the Opposition make unprecedented gains, netting a third of parliamentary seats and control of five states.
A 41 per cent petrol price hike imposed earlier this month, which has triggered widespread outrage and public protests, has made Abdullah's position even more tenuous.

Parliament battle for Malaysia PM

By Robin Brant BBC News, Kuala Lumpur
Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi could face a vote of no confidence in parliament on Monday. It would be the first time in the country's history that such a vote has taken place.
Supporters of Mr Abdullah have promised to try to fend off the challenge with procedures that favour the government. But it is the latest sign of the growing weakness of the prime minister, following a dismal result in the general election earlier this year.
Embattled leader
No prime minister has ever had to endure a vote of no confidence in Malaysia's parliament, in fact there is no specific provision for it in the constitution. Abdullah Badawi could be the first.
To add insult to injury it is lawmakers from his own side who are questioning his leadership.
The leader of a small party from Sabah, the usually sleepy state on the island of Borneo, stunned the country last week when he called for the vote.

He may have been hoping to trigger similar defections in other parties in the ruling coalition.
That has not happened yet. But the idea of a no confidence vote has, once again, focused attention on the leadership of Abdullah Badawi - a man whose credibility is already battered.
He resisted calls to resign in the wake of March's general election, when his government suffered an unprecedented fall in support.

But he has been forced to agree a timetable to hand over to his deputy. All this comes as the government has had to contend with a public angry at the rising costs of food and fuel.
Petrol prices jumped 40% two weeks ago after the government cut the subsidy.

Senior government politicians have said the no confidence vote will never happen. But if not on Monday, then disillusioned lawmakers may be able to force it in the weeks ahead.