Faux pas by govt critics

A censure debate may be the opposition’s most potent weapon to shake the government or even bring it to it knees. This year’s one, however, has got off to quite a rocky start.

What never emerged as a problem before has now threatened to set the session back, despite the debate schedule not even being yet settled by the two sides.

The case in point is the no-confidence motion itself. To be precise, the bone of contention boils down to the wording in the motion submitted last week to parliament president Chuan Leekpai and the fact that the document technically cannot be rectified.

Never before in recent memory has a censure notion touched off such an intense row before the actual debate.

The motion contained a phrase outlining the relationship between the higher institution and the…