The Chief Whip in Malaysia is the Member of Parliament (MP) from the governing party who ensures each MP votes in accordance with the party line when necessary. The office of the Chief Whip exists only in the lower house of Parliament, the Dewan Rakyat. Derived from the Chief Whip of the British Parliament, the concept of the whip — which also refers to the instructions issued by the Chief Whip — has been in force since 1955 when a national legislature for Malaya was first elected. The party governing then was the coalition of the Alliance, which governed until the mid-1970s, when it was renamed as the Barisan Nasional (National Front; commonly abbreviated as BN). As of 2006, the Chief Whip is Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, and his deputies are Minister in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of Parliamentary Affairs Nazri Aziz, Transport Minister Chan Kong Choy, and Works Minister Samy Vellu.^[1] The Houses of Parliament in Kuala Lumpur. ... A political party is an organization that seeks to attain political power within a government, usually by participating in electoral campaigns. ... The Parliament of Malaysia consists of the lower house (Dewan Rakyat or literally Peoples Hall, in Malay) and upper house (Dewan Negara or Nations Hall in Malay). ... The Chief Whip is a political office in some legislatures assigned to an elected member whose task is to administer the whipping system that ensures that members of the party attend and vote as the party leadership desires. ... The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative institution in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories (it alone has parliamentary sovereignty). ... In politics, a whip is a member of a political party in a legislature whose task is to ensure that members of the party attend and vote as the party leadership desires. ... The Federation of Malaya, or in Malay Persekutuan Tanah Melayu, was formed in 1948 from the British settlements of Penang and Malacca and the nine Malay states and replaced the Malayan Union. ... Barisan Nasional (National Front or BN) is a political coalition in Malaysia. ... Najib Bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak (born July 23, 1953 in Kuala Lipis, Pahang) is the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia since January 7, 2004. ... Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz is a Malay Malaysian politician from the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), and is as of 2005 a Minister in the Prime Ministers Department. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

There is some dispute about the precise nature of the whip, such as when it is in force. Convention in most Commonwealth countries that utilise the Westminster system, such as Malaysia, is that the whip is not in force unless explicitly made clear by the Chief Whip or his deputy. However, Parliamentarians have recently clashed over whether such is the case in Malaysia. In BN, although the Chief Whip rarely issues official directives, government MPs have tended to follow the party line. Most BN MPs who have contravened the government's stance in Parliament have been sanctioned. Recently, an official directive from the Prime Minister stated that the whip was always in force unless the Chief Whip or his deputy indicated otherwise. The Commonwealth of Nations, usually known as the Commonwealth, is an association of 53 independent sovereign states, almost all of which are former territories of the British Empire. ... The Westminster system is a democratic system of government modelled after that of the United Kingdom system, as used in the Palace of Westminster, the location of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ...

Controversy

In 2006, the resignation of Shahrir Abdul Samad (BN-Johor Bahru) as chairman of the Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club (BNBBC) triggered a controversy over the nature of the whip and how it is enforced. Earlier in 2005, a Deputy Minister, S. Sothinathan, had been suspended for speaking in Parliament against the government's stand on the issue of the government's decision not to recognise degrees awarded by the Crimea State Medical University (CSMU). Later, two MPs who spoke in support of a motion made by the opposition regarding a corruption scandal related to the distribution of import permits were also sanctioned, receiving official warning letters. At the time, Najib said it was official BN policy to not support any motions brought by the opposition. ^[2] Yang Berhormat Dato Shahrir Abdul Samad is a member of Parliament in Malaysia, and the chairman of the Barisan Nasional Back-Benchers Club. ... District Johor Bahru District Area  - Total (City) 185 km² Population  - City (2004)  - Metropolitan Approx. ... The Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club (commonly referred to as the Backbenchers Club, BNBBC or BBC; Malay: Kelab Ahli Penyokong Barisan Nasional) is a loose caucus of 108 members of the lower house of the Parliament of Malaysia, the Dewan Rakyat, belonging to the governing Barisan Nasional coalition. ...

Then in May 2006, Shahrir spoke in support of a motion brought by Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang of the Democratic Action Party (DAP) to refer an anonymous MP who allegedly attempted to influence the Melaka Customs and Excise Department to the House Rights and Privileges Committee. When the vote was held, Shahrir was the only government MP who supported the motion. He immediately left the house and called an impromptu press conference to announce his resignation as BNBBC Chair, saying that "Even though it was an Opposition motion, we should support it for its importance to MPs and the House." The Deputy Chair and the BNBBC asked Shahrir to rescind his resignation, but Shahrir insisted he would submit a letter of resignation to Najib, the Chief Whip. Later, Shahrir explained he had no choice but to resign "as I had breached the party's directive against supporting an Opposition motion." ^[3] Lim Kit Siang Lim Kit Siang (b. ... Democratic Action Party (DAP) logo The Democratic Action Party (DAP, Parti Tindakan Demokratik in Malay) is Malaysias largest secular and Socialist opposition party. ... State motto: Bersatu Teguh (Malay, United We Stand) Capital Malacca Town Governor Tun Datuk Seri Utama Mohd Khalil Yaakob Chief Minister Datuk Seri Haji Mohd Ali Mohd Rustam Area 1,650 km2 Population  - Estimated 648,500 State anthem Melaka Maju Jaya This article is about a state in Malaysia. ... A joint press conference by U.S. President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair at the White House. ...

Mohammad Said bin Yusof (BN-Jasin) then said he was the unnamed MP, but insisted he had done nothing wrong in asking for leniency in the case of one of his constituents, whose import of timber from Indonesia had been seized on what Said called a "technicality". ^[4] Later, the BNBBC issued a statement, read by secretary Rosli Mat Hassan (BN-Dungun), which declared, "the unwritten rule that presently [makes] it mandatory for BN MPs to oppose any opposition motion regardless of merit [runs] counter to basic parliamentary practice and [infringes] on the duties of MPs". The BNBBC also said "However, we recognise, as in the case of the British House of Commons, the party Whip can compel MPs to vote along party lines in issues of serious importance, such as financial bills and vote of no-confidence as well as second readings of other important bills.... But in the absence of any direction from the Whip, the general rule is that MPs are to vote according to their conscience to serve their constituency and country." In light of this, they officially requested the permission of the executive to vote according to their conscience unless ordered otherwise by the Whip. Rosli then said the BNBBC would attempt to re-elect Shahrir as their Chair, despite Najib having accepted Shahrir's resignation. ^[5] Jasin is one of the three districts in the State of Melaka in Malaysia. ... Timber in storage for later processing at a sawmill Timber is a term used to describe wood, either standing or that has been processed for use—from the time trees are felled, to its end product as a material suitable for industrial use—as structural material for construction or wood... Dungun is a district on the coastal side Malaysian state of Terengganu. ... The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... A Motion of No Confidence, also called Motion of Non Confidence is a parliamentary motion traditionally put before a parliament by the opposition in the hope of defeating or embarrassing a government. ...

However, the BNBBC later stated that Shahrir had been in the wrong for supporting a baseless motion, as the purview of the House Rights and Privileges Committee only extended to the misuse of Parliamentary privileges. Rosli also said Lim's motion ran counter to established Parliamentary process, as it was rushed through without written notice and a period of 24 hours being given to the Speaker to consider the motion. Shahrir himself later said he had "...made a mistake in regards to the parliamentary procedure involved. However, based on the political model, there was no mistake." ^[5]

However, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi later issued a formal directive, making Rosli's "unwritten rule" official. The directive, released shortly after a United Malays National Organisation (UMNO — the leading party in BN) Supreme Council meeting, stated that MPs were required to follow the party line unless otherwise instructed. When the topic of other Commonwealth Parliaments was raised, Abdullah said that "We have our own democracy and we will follow it." The backbenchers indicated they would comply with the ruling, but said that counter to Abdullah's insinuation that he would have sacked Shahrir had he not resigned, they still considered Shahrir their Chairman. ^[6] The Prime Minister of Malaysia is the indirectly elected head of government of Malaysia. ... Dato Seri Abdullah bin Haji Ahmad Badawi (born November 26, 1939) is the current prime minister of Malaysia, succeeding Tun Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad. ... UMNO Flag The United Malays National Organisation, or UMNO, (Malay: Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu Bersatu), is the largest political party in Malaysia and a founding member of the Barisan Nasional coalition, which has ruled the country uninterruptedly since its independence. ...

Nazri, the deputy Chief Whip, later explained that "The Whip is only relaxed when it is lifted by the chief or the deputy chief Whip. The question of allowing backbenchers to vote according to their conscience does not arise. It is also not right to say the Backbenchers Club does not come under the whip which is perpetually in force until otherwise." He also criticised Zaid Ibrahim (BN-Kota Baru), who had led a campaign to re-elect Shahrir, for citing other Commonwealth Parliaments as a rationale for allowing BN MPs to vote freely, and said that the BNBBC had unanimously accepted his explanation of the Whip's role. As an example of the relaxation of the Whip, Nazri cited the 2005 case of a motion brought by Salahuddin Ayub (PAS-Kubang Kerian) concerning the South Thailand insurgency: "Although no voting was involved, they could only speak in support of the motion because we gave them the green light." When asked about the possible re-election of Shahrir, Nazri said "it would have been a mockery of the disciplinary process" within BN. ^[7] Kota Bharu (or Kota Baru or Kota Baharu) is a town in Malaysia, and is the state capital of Kelantan. ... The Islamic Party of Malaysia (commonly known as PAS or Pas, from the Malay Parti Islam SeMalaysia) is an Islamist political party in Malaysia and is currently headed by Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang. ... Flag of Pattani Raya, a symbol of Pattani separatism The South Thailand insurgency is a separatist campaign centered in the Pattani region, three southern provinces of Thailand, with violence increasingly spilling over into neighbouring provinces and threatening to extend up to the national capital in Bangkok. ...

Notes and references

1. ^ Lim, Kit Siang (2006). "BN Whip Panel on 'close-one-eye' scandal - has it locus standi?". Retrieved May 25, 2006.
2. ^ Chok, Suat Ling (Oct. 4, 2005). "MPs in the dock". New Straits Times, p. 1, 6.
3. ^ Yusop, Husna (May 4, 2006). "Shahrir quits as BBC chief after MPs failed to support an 'integrity' motion". Malaysia Today.
4. ^ "Ahli Parlimen mengaku temui Kastam", p. 1. (May 5, 2006). Berita Harian.
5. ^ ^a b Ram, B. Suresh (May 8, 2006). "MPs want to vote according to their conscience". The Sun.
6. ^ Megan, M.K. & Andres, Leslie (May 9, 2006). "Abdullah: Vote along party lines", p. 4. New Straits Times.
7. ^ Ram, B. Suresh (May 9, 2006). "Bound by Whip at all times". The Sun.