KUCHING: The call by Perak state assemblyman, Dr Abdul Aziz Bari, for Works Minister, Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi, to resign reflects his misunderstanding of constitutional conventions and ministerial responsibilities.
According to Senator Datuk Ahmad Ibrahim, under Malaysia’s constitutional system, questions of collective Cabinet responsibility are for the Prime Minister to assess and decide, not for external commentators, regardless of academic background.
“With respect, Dr Abdul Aziz Bari is not the Prime Minister. Yet he speaks and draws conclusions as if that authority rests with him,” said Ahmad in a statement today.
He said that the Perak Exco member should better focused on state-level matters rather than issuing calls for resignation at the federal level.
He also emphasised that historical resignations were voluntary political decisions made under very specific circumstances, not automatic outcomes imposed by Prime Ministers.
“Historical precedents also show that resignation has never been automatic. Ministers across different administrations have expressed dissenting or cautionary views without being compelled to step down, provided they remain committed to Cabinet decisions – which Nanta has consistently done,” he added.
Ahmad defended Nanta’s recent comments on national cohesion, saying they were political commentary highlighting Sarawak’s long-standing approach to harmony, not a rejection of Cabinet decisions.
“The use of strong language to stress unity should not be misconstrued as a call to dismantle the Federation. Metaphor is not secession, and concern is not disloyalty,” he stressed.
“My view is Nanta was expressing concern about national unity and is not a breach of Cabinet responsibility; it is part of responsible leadership.”
He concluded that constitutional conventions should be applied with balance and responsibility, and not selectively interpreted or politicised in a way that oversimplifies both history and practice.
