Agong’s command a nightmare for Muhyiddin, says Umno man

 

Former deputy transport minister Aziz Kaprawi said there was a perception that the emergency was just a ‘licence’ for the PN government to be in full power with Parliament suspended.

PETALING JAYA: Umno member Aziz Kaprawi has told the Muhyiddin Yassin administration that it can no longer do “as it pleases” after the Yang di-Pertuan Agong said yesterday that Parliament can reconvene during the emergency period which lasts until August.

Aziz said the King’s decree gave hope to the rakyat that parliamentary democracy in the country could resume.

“Therefore, I urge the prime minister to immediately advise the King to allow parliamentary sessions to be held immediately,” he said in a Facebook posting.

The Parliament session usually starts in March.Aziz, who was formerly the deputy transport minister, said a parliamentary sitting was needed to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic, economic crisis and the problem involving the minority government.

These issues, he said, could be debated with proper checks and balances by MPs.

Aziz said the movement control order (MCO) and emergency gazetted in January showed weaknesses and shortcomings in implementing standard operating procedures, especially regarding the reopening of schools.

“The people are questioning the logic of easing SOPs while retaining the MCO.”

The former Sri Gading MP said even the Emergency Ordinance had yet to be used to address the health pandemic, giving the perception that the emergency was just a “licence” for the Perikatan Nasional government to be in full power, with Parliament suspended.

He said this gave the impression that the legislative branch in a parliamentary democratic system was “deliberately crippled so that the executive branch can do as it pleases without having to be held accountable to Parliament”.

Meanwhile, Umno Supreme Council member Mohd Puad Zarkashi said PPBM’s fate now hangs in the balance after the King’s decree.

“I want to ask Muhyiddin, which was more painful yesterday, receiving his vaccine injection or the King’s decree that Parliament can convene?”

He claimed Muhyiddin and PPBM “feared” Parliament and a general election after 147 Umno divisions rejected cooperation with PPBM.

“This means Umno will contest the 16 seats which went to PPBM through defections. What is left for them?” Puad said, adding PPBM was not a grassroots party. - FMT