Following the dissolution of Parliament, the current administration is now officially acting as a caretaker government until a formal government is formed after the general election. As a caretaker government, the Institute of Democracy and Economic Affairs is reminding the ‘caretakers’ that they must be aware of its limited powers and functional responsibilities during this period, this comes from the recent announcement by caretaker Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri that all debts owned by Felcra will be waived.
Commenting on the matter, Dr Tricia Yeoh, CEO of IDEAS, stated, “The guidelines outlining the role of a caretaker government in Malaysia are unclear. We do not have a set of separate, written guidelines yet on what the caretaker government should adhere to, whereas Australia and most recently, Canada, have outlined the responsibilities of a caretaker government, titled ‘Caretaker Conventions’.”
These conventions she said generally outline the responsibilities of the incumbent in matters relating to the manner of conduct for the caretaker government on policies, appointments, international visits, election period as well as administrative work, and for civil officials and the scope of their involvement in election activities. They have also made the document accessible to the public.
In short, a caretaker government’s primary duty is to handle only administrative affairs until the formation of a new government. It does not have the privilege or power to pass, sign, or undertake any agreements, contracts, and/or pledges, be it at the domestic or international level.
In addition, existing documents, programmes and allocations that were approved by the prior government must also be carried out. In the event of an emergency, the caretaker government must practise neutrality and fairness by consulting with all parties before a decision is made. Neutrality applies in refraining from showing favour towards a particular party, be it in public campaigning or during elections.
Dr Yeoh added, “The public must be reminded of practices that infringe upon these basic rules. Earlier this year in February, the caretaker state government in Johor had unilaterally made announcements for the Johor Agro-Food Policy 1.0. At an event with Felcra Berhad settlers and RISDA farmers in Tapah, Perak, caretaker Prime Minister Ismail Sabri announced his agreement to write off approximately RM 233.8 million of debts owed as a reward, provided that he and the cabinet are successfully returned to the federal government by loyal voters after the elections. These are examples that reflect poorly on the current caretaker government and should be called out.
“It is also important to note that Malaysia has had minimal experience with power transition at the federal level. This is why the role of the caretaker government is vital in ensuring that a smooth transition to the new government will take place.
