Ismail Sabri should not follow the wrong and bad example of 1999 dissolution of Parliament after the 2000 Budget was presented but before it was passed by Parliament

One regular conversation topic is when the next 15th General Election will be held.

There is a theory that Parliament will be dissolved in a month’s time after the 2023 Budget is presented to Parliament on Friday, October 7, 2022 but before the Budget is passed by Parliament.

There is nothing to stop the Prime Minister, Ismail Sabri, from advising the Yang di Pertuan Agong to dissolve Parliament for the holding of the 15th General Election after the tabling of the 2023 Budget on Oct. 7, but it is wrong and a bad example 9of the Prime Minister misusing his powers.

This happened once in Malaysia, after the 2000 Budget was presented to the Dewan Rakat on Friday, 29th October 1999 but before it was passed, and Parliament was dissolved while debating the 2000 Budget in mid-stream on Nov. 10, 1999.

I remember that day, it was a Tuesday and the sixth day of the debate on the 2000 Budget, but Members of Parliament were not interested in the 20009 Budget as words had got around that Parliament was to be dissolved on that day.

I remember asking the Deputy Speaker who was presiding before Dewan Rakyat adjourned for lunch on 10th November 1999 whether Parliament would be dissolved, that day, and the Deputy Speaker who is now the Yang di Pertua of Sabah said he did not know.

When Dewan Rakyat resumed after lunch at 2.30 pm., the Speaker announced that he had been informed that Parliament had been dissolved by the Yang di Pertuan Agong, and the debate on the 2000 Budget ended abruptly for the holding of the 10th General Election in Malaysia.

But this is a wrong and bad example where the Budget was presented to Parliament and Parliament not allowed to debate and pass the budget but was dissolved for the holding of general election. It should not be followed by Ismail Sabri.

It is a misuse of Prime Ministerial power, and if Ismail Sabri asks the Yang di Pertuan Agong to dissolve Parliament after Oct. 7, the Yang di Pertuan Agong should advise the Prime Minister to let Parliament debate and pass the 2023 Budget unless a no-confidence motion against the Prime Minister is adopted by Dewan Rakyat.