Malaysians should unite around defending the Federal Constitution to preserve the character and identity of Merdeka, where our country was founded on the fundamental basis of rule of law. The Federal Constitution provided for rule of law through the principle of separation of powers by establishing the three institutions of Parliament, the Executive and the Judiciary.
If there are any changes, then the Federal Constitution has to be amended by a 2/3 majority. Over the last 59 years, the Executive has concentrated its powers, especially in the person of the Prime Minister, by using its brute majority to amend the Federal Constitution as it wishes. Both institutions of Parliament and the Judiciary has been subsumed to the Executive with The Lord President or Chief Justice of the judiciary sacked and Parliament reduced to a mere rubber-stamp to allow fundamental freedoms and basic human rights to be trampled and violated.
However we may strenuously object to the erosion of fundamental rights, at least the form of the Federal Constitution was observed when such oppressive laws were passed through Constitutional amendments with a 2/3 majority. Unfortunately, since BN lost its 2/3 majority in the 2008 general elections, BN has resorted to unconstitutional means of passing unconstitutional laws not by 2/3 majority but as ordinary laws with a simple majority.
The National Security Council Act(NSC) is a classic example where the powers of the Rulers under Parliament were taken away by passing it as ordinary legislation with a simple majority. The NSC should be passed as an amendment to the Federal Constitution.
Similarly, the proposed “hudud-like” bill by PAS, with full support from UMNO and BN, should be tabled as a constitutional amendment that requires a 2/3 majority and not as an ordinary legislation requiring only a simple majority. All the BN component parties have abdicated their basic responsibility and betrayed their fundamental trust to the rakyat, by continuing to align, support and back UMNO, despite UMNO continuing such unconstitutional acts.
No wonder global corruption scandals like 1MDB can be supported by these BN Ministers who think nothing of selling out the rights of our children. BN Ministers are willing to abandon the country’s future for the perks and privileges of office. Only ordinary Malaysians can save our country, so that our children and grandchildren can live in a country that we still recognise as Malaysia – free from corruption and oppression as well as still free for all Malaysians whether in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah or Sarawak.