The joint sitting of parliament today (Friday) did not consider a motion, proposed by the Move Forward party, to revoke Article 272 of the Constitution, which allows senators to vote for a prime minister.
Move Forward proposed the revocation after its leader Pita failed to win enough parliamentary support for his premiership candidacy. Senators abstained or disapproved of his candidacy, citing his party’s campaign pledge to amend the lèse majesté law.
Instead, Move Forward MPs on Friday kept parliament busy with their request to reconsider the decision, made on July 19, to reject the renomination of their party’s leader Pita Limjaroenrat for prime minister.
House speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha reiterated that the Constitutional Court will rule on August 16 on whether to accept the Ombudsman’s petition on the constitutionality of parliament’s decision, adding that parliament should therefore wait for the Court’s ruling.
House speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha
Move Forward MPs, led by Rangsiman Rome, did not appear to accept the speaker’s explanation, while some senators also tried, in vain, to explain that they should wait for the ruling.
Move Forward MP Rangsiman Rome
Finally, Wan Muhamad suspended the joint sitting.
