Bersatu man: Not appropriate to change govt during pandemic, wait for 2023

 

Bersatu supreme council member Lajim Ukin said it was not appropriate to change the government amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Instead, he said anyone who has such desires should wait for the next general election, adding that the current Parliament's term only has less than two years left.

He said this amid political manoeuvrings ahead of the reconvening of Parliament.

"It isn't long as there are only about one and a half years left. It's better (to wait until then) compared to changing the government while the country is facing the Covid-19 pandemic.

"At present, the elected representatives should look at their priorities - whether they want to get positions or focus on the people," he said in a statement.

He cautioned that a change of government now would impede efforts to battle the Covid-19 pandemic as the cabinet and relevant communities will need to be reformed.

"Will changing the government solve the problems? There would be many considerations and appointments to be done.

"For me, it's better to just wait for the general election," he said.

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has agreed to convene Parliament before August 1 after repeated nudging by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

Parliament had been suspended since Jan 11 following a state of emergency which Muhyiddin said was necessary to cope with the pandemic, but critics claim was a means for the prime minister to cling on to power.

Lajim expressed puzzlement at whether Parliament can be convened so soon as there were conflicting legal opinions on whether a 28-day notice was needed.

One legal view was that a 28-day notice was needed while another was that the notice period was "up to" 28 days.

According to Standing Order 11(2) of the Dewan Rakyat, it states: "the leader or deputy leader of the House shall determine at least 28 days before the commencement of each Session, the dates on which the House shall meet in the Session: provided that the leader or deputy leader of the House may vary from time to time the dates so fixed". - Mkini