MALAYSIA: The absenteeism of 122 Members of Parliament during a crucial vote on the Communications and Multimedia Act (CMA) amendments on 9 December has sparked criticism from Malaysians, who accuse the elected representatives of neglecting their responsibilities.
Muhamad Harris Nasril, an online content creator, described the absence of MPs without valid reasons during such a critical constitutional vote as disgraceful, arguing that they had failed to honour the trust placed in them by the people.
On Monday, the Dewan Rakyat passed the controversial CMA amendments with 59 votes in favour, 40 against, and one abstention.
Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil defended the amendments, claiming they strike a balance between freedom of expression and public safety, particularly in tackling issues like child exploitation and the commercial distribution of pornography.
He emphasised that the law primarily targets telecommunications companies rather than individuals or media content creators.
However, the amendments have drawn criticism from civil society groups such as the Centre for Independent Journalism and Article 19, which warn of potential censorship stemming from the expanded powers granted to the Communications Minister.
Opposition figures, including PAS MP Ahmad Fadhli Shaari, voiced concerns over restrictions on free speech, while government-aligned MPs like William Leong supported the amendments but called for clearer definitions to prevent potential abuse.
“Absenteeism in Parliament a Betrayal of Public Trust”
Following the passage of the Communications and Multimedia Act (CMA) amendments, Nasril highlighted the absenteeism of 122 MPs in a Facebook post on Tuesday, noting that only 100 MPs participated in the crucial vote.
Nasril pointed out that among the absentees, 93 MPs were from the ruling coalition, while 29 were from the opposition coalition, Perikatan Nasional (PN).
He emphasised that Perikatan Nasional (PN), which strongly opposed the amendments, could have potentially blocked the bill had all 69 of its MPs been present, as their numbers surpassed the 59 votes cast by the government side.
Nasril criticised PN for failing to strategise and ensure full attendance for such an important vote.
“Where were your 29 MPs? If you knew the vote was taking place, why wasn’t there a directive for all MPs to attend? What’s the point of winning seats if you don’t show up to vote?” he questioned.
He expressed disappointment in MPs who failed to attend without valid reasons, calling their absenteeism a betrayal of public trust.
“Both the government and the opposition must take attendance seriously. I propose cutting their salaries. It won’t make much difference anyway, as most of them are very wealthy,” he added.
MPs’ Absence Mocked as Cafés, Prayer Rooms, and Restrooms Take Priority Over Voting
In a follow-up post on Wednesday, Hasril clarified that, after reviewing the Parliament hansard, he discovered that only 38 MPs were officially recorded as absent during the crucial vote on the Communications and Multimedia Act (CMA) amendments.
This discrepancy raised questions about the whereabouts of the remaining 84 MPs, who were listed as present in Parliament but did not participate in the voting process.
Hasril speculated that these 84 MPs might have been marked as present earlier in the day but chose to be absent during the vote.
He humorously suggested that their absence could be due to reasons such as spending too much time in the café, sleeping in the prayer room, or being stuck in the restroom.
However, Hasril emphasised that MPs receive attendance allowances for being physically present in Parliament.
He criticised the 83 MPs who collected their allowances but failed to perform their duty to vote, arguing that their behaviour was even worse than simply being absent from the session.
“Weak Opposition Weakens Governance”
Hasril’s post has since gone viral, garnering over 1,600 comments.
Some comments expressed disappointment, with one noting that “a weak opposition leads to weaker governance.”
Another critic claimed that the opposition excels only in playing on racial and religious issues, while lacking competence in other areas, particularly in providing substantial critiques of government policies.
One FB user remarked, “Nowadays, the opposition lacks the aggressiveness and effectiveness of previous opposition groups.”
However, others suggested that some MPs may not have been “absent” in the traditional sense but were attending to critical matters in their constituencies, particularly those affected by flooding.
Hasril refuted this justification, emphasising that the primary role of Members of Parliament is to be lawmakers.
He questioned whether MPs were in their constituencies for the entire month of December, casting doubt on the validity of such excuses.
Other Malaysians expressed disappointment on X (formerly Twitter), highlighting that these MPs still chose to be absent during a crucial vote, despite receiving a mandate from voters and attending allowances for their presence.
One user commented, “You (voters) voted to give them jobs, but they casually decide not to show up for work and neglect the trust that was given to them. Both the liberals and those who claim to be deeply religious are the same. They act solely based on the whims of their respective masters.”
122 tak hadir/absent.
Let that sink in.
Pikir dalam2.Kau undi utk bagi diorang kerja,tapi diorang selamba decide tak mau pi kerja dan abaikan amanah yg diberi
Yang liberal,yg konon2 kuat agama, dua dua sama.
Bertindak ikut sedap tekak tuan masing2 saja. https://t.co/c2tCipz3vm— Hangry Capybara (@PittKF) December 9, 2024
CMA amendment faces scrutiny over alleged restrictions on freedom of expression and lack of transparency
The CMA amendment has faced significant backlash from civil society groups, including Article 19 and the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ), who argue that it risks stifling freedom of expression, lacks transparency, and could grant undue control to authorities, posing threats to democracy and public discourse.
Concerns have also been raised about the extensive powers of the MCMC, with critics highlighting that Sections 211 and 233 of the CMA have historically been used to limit free expression and fall short of international human rights standards.
Article 19 has called on the government to pause the progress of the Bill in the Senate and instead refer it to the Parliament’s Special Select Committee on Human Rights, Elections, and Institutional Reform for a more thorough review.
In an open letter to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on 27 June, 44 organizations and 23 activists condemned the licensing proposal as a “blatant abuse of power” and an “attack on a healthy, functioning democracy” that would “shrink public participation.”
Malaysia’s ranking in the 2024 World Press Freedom Index has also dropped to 107th, from 73rd previously.
