Yingluck warns 'outsider PM' nomination against people’s will

Yingluck warns 'outsider PM' nomination against people’s will

Former prime  minister Yingluck Shinawatra receives flowers from her supporters who cheer her on at the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Political Office Holders on Friday. (Photo by Patipat Janthong)
Former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra receives flowers from her supporters who cheer her on at the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Political Office Holders on Friday. (Photo by Patipat Janthong)

Former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra has warned against a possible draft constitutional amendment to allow senators to nominate a prime minister, saying the move goes against the will of the people.

Ms Yingluck spoke on arrival at the Supreme Court on Friday to give defence witness testimony in her trial before the Criminal Division for Political Office Holders over her loss-ridden rice-pledging scheme.

She was warmly received by her supporters who gathered in front of the court to give her moral support amidst tight security.

After the public  approved an additional question at the August 7 referendum, allowing senators to vote with MPs to choose a prime minister, the National Legislative Assembly, the junta's lawmaking body, floated the idea of allowing the senators to propose a candidate for PM as well. They claimed this was not technically wrong and was a broad interpretation of the question and what the people want.

But Ms Yingluck disagreed.

"Prime ministerial candidates must be picked from political parties' lists first in line with the constitutional spirit," she said.

Any change to the draft charter must take into consideration the initial constitutional framework, she added.

If the Senate could nominate an outsider to be the prime minister, all concerned parties must not do anything against the constitutional spirit and must respect people’s will, she said.

If everyone played by the rule, peace would return to the country, she said.

Her comments followed a meeting on Thursday of assembly members held to sound out what lawmakers' intentions were in drawing up the extra question.

She  insisted her brother and ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra had nothing to do with deadly bombings in seven southern provinces last week as alleged. Thaksin’s legal team had already filed a complaint against his accusers.

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