Guan Eng wants Rais Yatim to be new law minister

 

DAP secretary-general wants Senate President Rais Yatim to be the new law minister replacing Takiyuddin Hassan.

He said this would ensure "obedience to the royal command" that Parliament be convened this month.

"With Rais as de facto law minister in charge of Parliament, he would do a much better job to give effect to the smooth convening of Parliament to debate both the Perikatan Nasional government’s failure to manage the Covid-19 crisis and the Emergency Ordinances as per the king’s royal decree.

"The nation needs leaders who are committed to upholding the law for the benefit of the people, not politicians who are interested only in protecting their perks and privileges of office," Lim said in a statement today.

Rais had opined that Parliament should be convened this month and that the king had the authority to call the House into session - a stance that has been disputed by lawyers.

Takiyuddin, meanwhile, had previously pushed for Parliament to convene in September after the state of emergency ends.

However, yesterday he assured that Parliament would convene this month and that cabinet would set a date on Wednesday.

The king had opined that Parliament should convene "as soon as possible" to debate the emergency proclamation and emergency ordinances as allowed under Article 150 (3) of the Federal Constitution.

The article states that both the proclamation and its ordinances could be revoked if Parliament chose to do so.

Pakatan Harapan has taken this as a signal that the Agong wants the House to convene before the emergency expires on Aug 1. - Mkini