CORONAVIRUS | Iskandar Puteri MP Lim Kit Siang has urged Putrajaya to explore the possibility of holding an emergency "virtual" Parliament to discuss ways of dealing with the Covid-19 outbreak and its ramifications on the economy.
"We are in an extraordinary crisis which calls for extraordinary solutions," said Lim in a statement today.
Parliament is scheduled to convene on May 18, which may be too late for Putrajaya to seek legislative changes to Budget 2020.
So far, Putrajaya has committed to a direct fiscal injection of RM25 billion as part of its overall stimulus plan but that would eventually require parliamentary approval through a supplementary budget.
Pointing to data which showed that the Covid-19 outbreak is wreaking havoc throughout the world, Lim said this was a grim reminder that Malaysia must adopt a "whatever it takes" strategy to win the war against Covid-19 and the country's economy to survive.
"The delay in announcing an economic rescue package for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) is an example that the Malaysian government has still to adopt a 'whatever it takes' strategy to face the unprecedented crisis confronting the country to both save lives and livelihoods," said Lim.
The stimulus plan announced on March 27 only announced loans for SMEs and a RM600 wage subsidy scheme which many businesses cannot qualify for.
Critics have argued that these measures paled in comparison to countries such as Singapore and China which have announced far more robust wage subsidy schemes to prevent retrenchment.
Lim said Malaysia was not facing a normal recession, wherein the typical remedy was to boost consumption.
"In the war against Covid-19, governments have to put the economy into an artificial coma but must keep the patient alive.
"In pandemic economics, at least in the short-run, the objective is not to boost demand but to freeze the economy and for the people “ 'stay in and hold on'," said Lim.
Try in Penang first
Meanwhile, fellow Johor MP Azalina Othman Said (below), who represents Pengerang, said Lim's suggestion might be possible due to a loophole in Article 62 of the Federal Constitution.
However, Azalina, a former law minister and practising lawyer, said perhaps the Penang state assembly should try it first.
"Then we can learn from each other. (In Penang) there are 40 state assemblypersons unlike 222 MPs in Parliament.
"Less of a hassle," wrote Azalina on Twitter.
Penang is run by a DAP-led government, now in its third term.
YB.Uncle #limkitsiang... Possible due to LACUNA in Article 62(1) of the Fed Consti but cuba lah dulu in Penang State Assembly then we belajar sama sama - 40 ADUNs vs 222 MPs (less mafan) #COVID19 #MCO #parliamentinlimbo twitter.com/malaysiakini/s…
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Sabarlah Uncle Lim .
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