Emergency law fiasco vindicates Umno on govt’s failure, says Zahid

 

Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said Umno wanted the emergency ordinances to be revoked in line with the Federal Constitution, and not discreetly as has been the case. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: Even Umno MP Noh Omar, who was a member of the Independent Special Committee on Emergency 2021 which was set up to advise the King, was not aware of the government’s decision to withdraw emergency ordinances (EOs) on July 21.

Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi cited this anomaly when hitting out at the Perikatan Nasional-led (PN) government for its lack of transparency over the matter.

In a statement, he said it was confusing that the revocation was announced despite it not being in the federal government gazette.

Earlier, Zahid said Umno was kept in the dark despite some of its MPs being part of the Cabinet.

In a Facebook post, he had said: “This is among the evidence why Umno cannot be associated with the failures of this federal government.”

This evening he added that, even though Umno had called for the ordinances to be revoked, this must be done properly and democratically, in line with the Federal Constitution.

“The revocation done in secret came as a surprise to many because it was not done constitutionally.”

Explaining the issue further, Zahid said MPs are now asking the government  whether the cancellation of the emergency ordinances had received the approval of the King.

“But they told us they can only answer on Monday, citing the Dewan Rakyat speaker who had given this instruction.

“When such simple matters cannot be answered, then it is as if there is some deception involved,” he added.

The legality of the government’s decision to revoke the emergency ordinances has been challenged by lawyers and civil society groups, with questions raised about what the decision means for those fined or penalised under enhanced penalties for movement control offences after July 21.

Several lawyers have also said the revocation could only be carried out by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong or by Parliament.

Meanwhile, Transparency International-Malaysia (TI-M) president Muhammad Mohan said the delay in announcing the revocation had raised doubts about the government’s intentions.

The Dewan Rakyat was told about the revocation of the emergency ordinances on Monday in a surprise announcement by law minister Takiyuddin Hassan. He said the government had also decided not to extend the state of emergency, which ends on Aug 1. - FMT