Party Loyalty in Parliament
In 2005, the issue of voting along party lines was brought up when two Barisan National Members of Parliament (MPs), Bung Moktar Radin and Mohamed Aziz, supported a motion by Opposition leader Lim Kit Siang of the Democratic Action Party (DAP) to refer International Trade and Industry Ministry secretary Sidek Hassan to the Committee of Privileges. Deputy Prime Minister Dato Seri Najib Tun Razak, who is also the BN whip in the Dewan Rakyat (lower house of Parliament) had the two MPs referred to the Cabinet for breaking the BN policy of never voting for motions proposed by the opposition. According to Najib, the two MPs apologised for their actions once informed of their mistake. Eventually, the Cabinet settled on a reprimand and with no further action taken.
In the aftermath of the general election held on March 8, 2008, there were calls from component parties from Sabah and Sarawak for more autonomy from the federal government.
In 2008, the Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP), consisting of two MPs, announced it would leave Barisan Nasional to sit on the crossbenches of Parliament.
Read more about this topic: Barisan Nasional
Famous quotes containing the words party, loyalty and/or parliament:
“Whoever has provoked men to rage against him has always gained a party in his favor, too.”
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900)
“There should be a sympathy with freedom, a desire to give it scope, founded not upon visionary ideas, but upon the long experience of many generations within the shores of this happy isle, that in freedom you lay the firmest foundations both of loyalty and order.”
—W.E. (William Ewart)
“Undershaft: Alcohol is a very necessary article. It heals the sick—Barbara: It does nothing of the sort. Undershaft: Well, it assists the doctor: that is perhaps a less questionable way of putting it. It makes life bearable to millions of people who could not endure their existence if they were quite sober. It enables Parliament to do things at eleven at night that no sane person would do at eleven in the morning.”
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950)