CONVENE EMERGENCY SESSION OF PARLIAMENT BEFORE DIGGING YOUR HANDS INTO RM250 BILLION PLAN – OR IT’LL BE DAYLIGHT ROBBERY! CIVIL SOCIETY TELLS MUHYIDDIN & AZMIN

A group of academics, activists and other concerned citizens have called on the government of Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and opposition parties to convene an emergency parliamentary sitting to review the RM250 billion stimulus package that was announced on Friday.

The group of nearly 50 concerned citizens which includes former MP Taufik Ismail, academics Terence Gomez, Sharifah Munirah Alatas, Wong Chin Huat and Zaharom Nain as well as retired ambassadors Dennis Ignatius and M Santhananaban called on the government to obtain a proper mandate before implementing such a policy.

“By the prime minister’s own admission, his government was not one legitimately elected by the rakyat.

“As such, the government must obtain a proper mandate from all parliamentarians in a non-partisan manner for such a stimulus package to be approved.

“Such a procedure has been followed by legitimately elected governments across the globe,” said the group.

It urged that an emergency session of Parliament be called immediately.

The Dewan Rakyat sitting initially scheduled for March 9 was moved to May 18 soon after Muhyiddin took office.

“The details of the stimulus package must be fully discussed and amended for the benefit of all Malaysians, regardless of class, ethnicity and social background.

“We are especially concerned about the transparency of sources of funds and public delivery methods, as well as its eventual accessibility to the most needy citizens.

“We are confident that our parliamentarians will rise above party interests to craft and approve the right stimulus package.

This is the only way that the present government can prove itself accountable to the people of Malaysia,” said the group.

The full list of signatories includes Johan Saravanamuttu, Terence Gomez, Lim Teck Ghee, KJ John, Tawfik Ismail, Johan Arriffin Samad, Maznah Mohamad, Mary Suma Cardosa, Sarajun Honda, Subramaniam Pillay, Anil Netto, Wong Soak Koon, Ng Choon Sim, Rosli Omar, Rajah Rasiah, Zaharom Nain, Adil Johan, UKM, Tan Beng Hui, Francis Loh,  Lee Hock Guan, Wong Chin Huat, Sharifah Munirah Alatas, Dennis Ignatius, Beth Baikan, Lim Mah Hui, Tan Yew Sing, David Dass, ES Shanker, Kee Thuan Chye, Amir Nordin, Kenneth James, Intan Osman, Mariam Mokhtar, Rosa Mariam Johan, Khoo Hoon Eng, Goh Beng Lan, Sharmani Gabriel, Ann Lee, Benjamin Loh, Azmil Tayeb, Steven BE Fung, Syed Ahmad Aidid, Kuok Khoon Peng, Lu Kim Phin, M Santhananaban, Prema Devaraj, Beverly Joeman and Latif Kamaluddin.

MKINI