Is Muhyiddin afraid to table Penjana package in Parliament?

MP SPEAKS | The question uppermost in most minds is why Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin had not presented the Penjana economic stimulus package in the war against Covid-19 to Parliament for approval?

Is he afraid that the Penjana economic stimulus package would be rejected by Parliament if it is presented to Parliament for approval?

Muhyiddin has again made infamous parliamentary history by locking up Parliament instead of presenting the Penjana economic stimulus package to Parliament for oversight, debate and an approval process but he continues to evade parliamentary scrutiny.

The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) has criticised the Penjana economic stimulus package as a short-term economic recovery plan “laden with goodies for the business community but fails to live up to promises on protecting workers”.

MTUC secretary-general J Solomon said that MTUC feared that similar to the previous Prihatin stimulus packages, Penjana would fail to live up to its lofty promises in ensuring workers are protected, especially the thousands who have been laid off despite employers benefiting from massive government assistance in interest-free loans, outright grants and wage subsidies.

The best venue for the legitimate concerns from the various sectors of society about the government’s economic stimulus packages to be aired and addressed is Parliament.

But the continued lockup of Parliament is not only denying members of Parliament from playing their constitutional role of parliamentary oversight and scrutiny to ensure a high quality of governance, but also denying the citizenry to have their grievances heard and resolved.

The Covid-19 pandemic is a global workbook for how countries all over the world are coping with the unprecedented challenges in containing the Coronavirus and ensuring the quickest recovery of national economic and social life.

Malaysia, however, stands out as the only country where Parliament is being locked down and not allowed to play its role.

Can Muhyiddin give a single reason for this unparliamentary conduct and undemocratic practice?

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LIM KIT SIANG is DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri. - Mkini