Refund those fined after July 21, says Guan Eng

 

Lim Guan Eng says the law minister did not provide ‘certainty, clarity and consistency’ in his announcement on the revocation of the emergency ordinances.

PETALING JAYA: DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng today said the government’s “harried and hurried” manner in revoking the emergency ordinances was a sign of a failed state, calling for those who had paid fines after July 21 to be refunded.

He said law minister Takiyuddin Hassan did not provide “certainty, clarity and consistency” in his announcement in Parliament yesterday, and the revocation had not been gazetted.

Takiyuddin had said the government decided to cancel the emergency ordinances under Article 153 of the Federal Constitution.

Opposition MPs and lawyers said such revocation could only be approved by the King or through a vote in both houses of Parliament.

Lim said reluctance to clear the air raised doubts if the emergency ordinances still had a legal basis, including the validity of the 2,200 compound notices issued between July 21 and 25.

“Until this legal confusion is resolved, the government should instruct the authorities to revert to the previous maximum compounds of RM1,000 for individuals or RM10,000 for corporate bodies, as well as refund those who paid above that amount for compounds issued after July 21,” he added in a statement. - FMT