Senior lawyer Ambiga Sreenevasan is "unpatriotic" for setting up an online petition to urge for an emergency parliamentary sitting, minister in charge of parliamentary affairs Azalina Othman said.
Azalina said there is no need for an emergency sitting because there are no urgent issues that need the attention of the House.
It is also irrational to call a sitting to table a motion of no-confidence against Prime Minister and BN chairperson Najib Abdul Razak since BN holds 132 of the 222 Dewan Rakyat seats, she said.
"I do not see the rationale behinds their moves, as on one hand, these factions acknowledge the fundamental pillars of democracy and the rule of law while on the other, they organised illegal rallies that could trigger racial disharmony.
"Submitting petitions on foreign websites is certainly not a patriotic move to show their affection for this country," she said in a statement.
Calls for Najib’s resignation echoed in central Kuala Lumpur on Aug 29 and 30 when at least 100,000 thronged the streets to call for Najib’s resignation at a rally organised by electoral watchdog Bersih.
Ambiga (photo) is former Bersih chairperson, but is petitioning for the emergency sitting as National Human Rights Society of Malaysia (Hakam) president.
The petition, uploaded on online petition website Change.org , among others calls for Najib to take a leave of absence during the two separate graft investigations on the RM2.6 billion and RM42 million that went to his bank account.
It also calls for an emergency sitting within a week of Najib’s going on leave, to form a unity government consisting of politicians from both sides of the divide.
"It is crucial that all members of parliament put aside their political differences in the interests of the people and the nation to bring stability and confidence back to the nation," the petition reads.
She also called for the new unity government to hold a clean and fair election within 18 months of its formation.
The petition has garnered 12,531 signatures over the past one month.
Azalina, however, sees this as evidence that Hakam and Bersih are "in cahoots" with opposition parties "to seek power through the backdoor without demureness".
Azalina added that there is no urgent matter to be discussed as government is aware of problems like the fall of the ringgit but these are things it is already addressing.
The fall of the ringgit, she added, is also caused by global trends and "not driven by domestic issues as doggedly chanted by the opposition".
"We should not tolerate anyone that acts against the very principles of democracy as it is a threat to national stability.
"As Pengerang Member of Parliament, I strongly reject this groundless petition that calls for emergency an parliamentary session and form a new national government," she said.
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