Another Umno politician has been given a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA). Former prime minister Najib Razak and former Treasury secretary-general Mohd Irwan Serigar Abdullah got off their six CBT charges involving 1MDB-linked company International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC) with a DNAA.

Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Muhammad Jamil Hussin granted the DNAA on the grounds that the prosecution had failed to hand over classified documents crucial to the case.

Reacting to the decision, Pejuang information chief Rafique Rashid Ali, who is a lawyer, said that “Section 2C of the Official Secrets Act 1972 (Act 88) is clear that the power to remove the ‘official secret’ status of documents lies with the minister”.

The question that is asked is why a minister or the prime minister had failed to lift the official secret status of the documents even though this case has been going on for six years. So far, typically, no answer has been given.

What is even more disappointing is that not one MP queried the prime minister regarding this issue either through press statements or in the Dewan Rakyat.

This seems to be the characteristic of our MPs. Don’t debate. As a result, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is carrying along unchecked. Whether the government was formed democratically, whether separation of powers is practised, the granting of government contracts like the 5G to royalty-linked companies, the Mufti Bill, the House Arrest Bill that is part of Budget 2025 all touch on the federal constitution but the people don’t see the MPs fighting to see that the constitution is followed.

Then, Anwar goes off on his globe-trotting trips and no MP queries whether the PM is spending more time abroad than addressing issues at home. So far not one issue whether abroad or at home has been resolved.

Anwar has left a trail of missteps, particularly in making undemocratic decisions. All the issues mentioned earlier, his performance and the latest, namely the DNAA to Najib and Irwan Serigar, raise issues as to whether he is following democratic principles and acting consistently with the federal constitution or acting in whatever way he is inclined to.

These are very serious issues, and it is the people’s right to have the MPs address them. That fundamental duty of a MP is not evident among our MPs. Malaysian MPs must be the first MPs in the world who know exactly what is going on and will not take steps to restore constitutional fidelity.

Silence means tacit consent, and the MPs will have to answer to the people.

Neither is it enough for the Opposition to just reject a controversial bill because it will nevertheless be passed since Anwar has a two-thirds majority coerced by a MoU. And more constitutionally controversial bills will follow. Unless the Opposition works very hard to win government MPs over to deprive the government of the needed majority to pass every such bill. That would be a monumental task and an exercise in futility!

Nevertheless, the MPs must query the PM. He must be grilled until a satisfying answer is given that conforms to the constitution. If he fails to answer, then the MPs must act. The constitution offers avenues for MPs to seek recourse to protect the people’s interests.

Seeking a change through constitutional recourse does not mean going against any one or any institution or any law. It is simply exercising the constitutional rights of the citizens which MPs have been entrusted to undertake.

It takes courage and leadership to check a government that is erring, and it is the responsibility of the MPs to provide that check and balance. They must not let the people down. And they must act now if they want a government that abides by parliamentary democracy. If MPs wait until the next general election to form a new government, the federal constitution would have been changed without the mandate of the people.

The MPs must not let that happen. But, will they act now? That is what the people are yet to witness.