YOURSAY | ‘Our constitution expressly stipulates instances where PM has prerogative - and picking facilitators isn’t one of them.’

DPM displeased with Rahim Noor's appointment as peace facilitator

Kim Quek: Why should former inspector-general of police Abdul Rahim Noor’s appointment as a southern Thailand peace process facilitator be the prime minister’s prerogative?

Shouldn’t such an appointment be within the competence of the defence minister or home minister? Why must the prime minister be given the exclusive right to make such a mundane decision?

Is Malaysia not a parliamentary democracy, where the cabinet – not the prime minister – is responsible to Parliament? Or is it an autocracy where the autocrat makes all the decisions?

The way the prime minister has been announcing his hefty decisions on major issues (and often flip-flopping on them with poor rationale) without the slightest appearance of cabinet involvement makes one wonder whether the cabinet has been reduced to a mere appendage of the premiership.

Isn’t this mode of governance antithesis to Reformasi – a grand betrayal of Pakatan Harapan’s pre-election pledge to restore full democracy to the country?

YTMQ: Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, let us deal with the issue of the prime minister's prerogative as provided for under the Federal Constitution.

The prime minister has the prerogative to appoint the cabinet ministers, advising the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on the appointment of the chief justice and attorney-general, among others, as well as advising on the dissolution of Parliament.

When it comes to the executive function of the federal government, the authority is vested in the Agong, whose powers shall be exercised by the cabinet. Please read Articles 39 and 40 of the constitution.

The decision to appoint a southern Thailand peace process facilitator is an exercise of the executive function, and the prime minister does not have the sole prerogative in this regard.

It must be deliberated in cabinet, and pursuant to Article 43(3), the cabinet is collectively responsible to Parliament.

Therefore, kindly stop this “prime minister’s prerogative” nonsense unless such a prerogative is expressly provided for in the Federal Constitution.

Our Federal Constitution expressly stipulates the instances where the prime minister has prerogative. Please do not turn the position of the prime minister of Malaysia into a presidential-like position.

P Dev Anand Pillai: Hasn't Pakatan Harapan de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim said that he is not going to go after all those who have vilified him in the past two decades?

If he plans to do so, almost half of the judiciary, the Attorney-General's Chambers and a portion of the top notch in the police force will have to go.

The master who started Episode One is now in charge, he will have to go first. So let bygones be bygones and move forward.

But issues of the past will never be forgotten. One can forgive but never forget.

The former IGP is the best person for the task because he was part of the negotiating team when the Hatyai Peace Agreement was signed with the Communist Party of Malaya in 1989.

So carry on with the tasks of governing, be strict and demand a good job, that should be the way.

Anonymous_1419577444: Didn't Rahim go to jail for what he did to Anwar? If so, hasn't he paid for his crime?

If he has the experience to deal with this type of situation, let him do the job. It is just being a peace facilitator, a one-off job; not some ministerial or senior law enforcement role.

Goodness. Why do some people insist on rejecting him solely because he was bad to Anwar in the past?

It is also shocking that some leaders in the Harapan government let their personal feuds and emotions get in the way of good governance and their responsibilities as elected representatives.

Puzzling: If I were in the shoes of the Anwar family, I too would not be happy with Rahim's appointment. But that is entirely personal.

It is an indisputable fact that Rahim hurt Anwar. For that, Rahim was punished and sent to jail. As a consequence, Rahim did not benefit from any of those lucrative political appointments which others in similar positions enjoy after retirement. Rahim has therefore already paid for his crime.

In this current case, Rahim is performing a national duty. Because of his past experience of dealing with the communist insurgency, he was appointed as the facilitator to bring about peace to southern Thailand. Can someone name any other person more qualified than him to handle the task?

Anwar's family, in all likelihood, will not forgive Rahim. That, all of us can understand.

I hope that Anwar’s family is magnanimous enough not to stand in the way of Rahim playing a very important role to bring about peace in southern Thailand.

If he succeeds, thousands of lives will be saved. Not only that, the living standards of the southern Thais will surely improve when development can proceed when there is peace. It is difficult to accept, but let's not get personal.

Sunshine: It is very gracious of the deputy prime minister to defer to the prime minister. But to some, this ill-advised decision by Dr Mahathir Mohamad will constitute an unfortunate measure.

Whatever his other credentials, Rahim’s guilt as IGP for assaulting Anwar should have still mattered for a fledgling nation where in-depth and long experiences, high-level of competence and upright dedication to public service is in short supply - especially under present circumstances.

The Wakandan: You can’t be like that, Mahathir. The deputy prime minister is your colleague. Even if it is your prerogative, give a thought to her family’s feelings.

This man not only did wrong, but with the position that he had, he did much damage to the integrity of the police force - the guardians and the enforcers of the laws of our country. He is certainly not indispensable.

Kutan: Indeed, there is a larger issue here. This man held the highest office in the police force and he assaulted a person - never mind who - in the custody of the police. This was police brutality at its worst.

He totally lacked the integrity and professionalism his position demanded. Whatever experience he has is secondary. Don’t you people turn this into another “Mahathir versus Anwar” thing.

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