tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20518519.post7843589284854717392..comments2024-01-10T17:17:06.409+08:00Comments on The World That I See - My View: Suspensions will 'give BN two-thirds majority'Seal in Astralhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12234323726001779291noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20518519.post-80067362493647133712010-12-18T10:28:43.462+08:002010-12-18T10:28:43.462+08:00CONSTITUTIONAL EXPLANATION FOR WHY BN HAS NOT REGA...CONSTITUTIONAL EXPLANATION FOR WHY BN HAS NOT REGAINED TWO THIRDS MAJORITY<br /><br />Constitutional amendment bills must be passed in each House of Parliament “by the votes of not less than two-thirds of the total number of members [MPs] of” that House (Art. 159(3) of the Federal Constitution). Thus, for the Dewan Rakyat, the minimum number of votes required is 148, being two-thirds of its 222 members. The temporary suspension of some MPs from attending its proceedings does not lower the number of votes required for amending the Constitution (i.e. 148) as the suspended MPs are still members of the Dewan Rakyat. If they were no longer MPs, then there would have to be by-elections for their constituencies and that is clearly not going to happen - which proves that even though they are suspended, they are still MPs.<br /><br />In other words, as the total number of members of the Dewan Rakyat remains the same even if some of the MPs may be temporarily prohibited from attending its proceedings, the number of votes required to amend the Constitution must also remain the same – 148 out of 222.<br /><br />Thus, although BN may have a 2/3rd control of the Dewan Rakyat without the suspended MPs, they are still not able to amend the constitution, which requires a minimum of 148 votes i.e. 2/3rds of the total number of MPs (including those which have been suspended). As BN only has 137 seats, even with the additional votes from the 6 BN friendly independents (making a total of 143), they still will not have the required minimum 148 votes to amend the Constitution.Malaysian Constitutionnoreply@blogger.com