Why didn’t you speak up on repeal of emergency ordinances, Puad asks Umno ministers

 

Umno Supreme Council member Puad Zarkashi says this is not the first time that the party and its president have been kept in the dark. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: Umno ministers must explain why they did not inform the party, especially its president, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, that the government had decided to revoke the emergency ordinances (EOs) as of July 21, says Supreme Council member Puad Zarkashi.

Puad told FMT the attitude of those who did not want to share information with Zahid had brought a negative impact on the party.

“Umno ministers should be frank if they were consulted or sidelined when the decision to revoke (the EOs) was made.

“If they were present at the meeting to decide the EOs’ revocation, the Umno ministers should have first asked for a postponement to seek the party’s advice and stand.

“This is a big issue as it involves the constitution,” he said, adding that this was not the first time this had happened.

Before this, Puad said, the party and Zahid were also not informed in advance that the government had asked for consent to declare a state of emergency in January 2021.

“Now Umno’s image is badly tarnished. The revoked EOs are  considered a violation of the Federal Constitution. Doesn’t that make it difficult for Umno?

“I am sure the party does not support this. It is unconstitutional. This makes Umno completely wrong and the party is now accused of conspiring with the decisions of an unpopular government,” he said.

Puad said the most obvious example was on July 25, when Zahid issued a statement saying that all ministers, deputy ministers and government-linked corporation (GLC) chairmen would resign if the emergency continued after Aug 1.

However, he said, the emergency ordinances had now been “quietly revoked”.

“What are their motives? Worse, Umno is also associated with parties that do not respect the King. Has the King signed an approval?” he asked.

Yesterday, law minister Takiyuddin Hassan announced that the six emergency ordinances had been revoked under Article 153 of the Federal Constitution and the government had decided it would not advise the King to extend the state of emergency beyond Aug 1. - FMT