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Disciplinary Action On SAPP MPs If They Support No Confidence Vote On PM - Najib |
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Posted by admin
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Saturday, 21 June 2008 00:43 |
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(Bernama) -- The two Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) members of parliament will face disciplinary action from the Barisan Nasional (BN) if they proceed with their intention to table a motion of no-confidence against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in Parliament on Monday.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said whatever the actions of the two, if they breached the BN disciplinary code, would result in them being penalised for breach of party discipline. "Technically they cannot table the motion because the power lies with the speaker. It may not happen. But whatever it is, any attempt in Parliament that can be construed as breach of BN discipline, then appropriate action can be taken against them...it all depends on their actions," said Najib, who is also BN chief whip. Speaking to reporters after chairing the cabinet committee meeting on investment and infrastructure, he said the handing over of power by Abdullah to him and the SAPP's decision to initiate a vote of no confidence on the prime minister were two separate issues. SAPP president Datuk Yong Teck Lee declared on Wednesday that his party had lost confidence in Abdullah's leadership and it its two MPs (Sepanggar and Tawau) would support a vote of no confidence against the prime minister in the Dewan Rakyat on Monday. The SAPP MPs are Datuk Eric Enchin Majimbun (Sepanggar) and Datuk Dr Chua Soon Bui (Tawau). At the BN emergency supreme council meeting yesterday, all other BN component parties rallied behind Abdullah, unanimously supporting the prime minister's leadership and condemned Yong for his latest move. The SAPP supreme council after a lengthy five-hour meeting in Luyang, near Kota Kinabalu, today endorsed the decision for a vote of no confidence against Abdullah. Najib said the handing over of power by Abdullah to him and the vote of no confidence were two separate issues, adding that whatever their decision or opinion cannot override the BN discipline. "The BN is an institution which has clear cut procedures and disciplinary measures and actions which are known to members. It spells out clearly the do's and dont's of BN members," he said. Najib said the BN supreme council had full powers to make any decision on the actions of any component party. "On the role of BN Chief Whip, it is BN's policy that a member of parliament should table a motion that is detrimental to the coalition's interests and integrity. "If the two SAPP MPs go ahead to support the no-confidence vote in parliament, they are clearly breaching the BN's code of discipline," he added.
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