Umno MPs told to vote for cancellation of emergency powers

 

Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi says Umno MPs must resign from their government positions if the state of emergency is extended.

PETALING JAYA: With Parliament set to reconvene tomorrow, Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi says all party MPs must push for the cancellation of the state of emergency and the emergency ordinances.

In a statement, Zahid said the leadership decided that all Umno MPs should voice the party’s stand that the Dewan Rakyat must debate and cancel the Emergency and the ordinances.

He added that party MPs must also state their support by voting for the cancellation of the Emergency and the ordinances.

Zahid said it was clear that the state of emergency had only been detrimental to the people, especially in terms of the economy and their welfare, citing the expensive fines for SOP breaches under the ordinance and the “double standard” adopted against those who breach movement restriction rules.

“The government has clearly failed to use the Emergency to curb and manage the Covid-19 pandemic; instead it has become a political tool that weakened our parliamentary democracy,” he said.

He said pushing for the cancellation of the Emergency would also be in line with the views of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong that there was no need for the Emergency to continue beyond Aug 1 and that Parliament should debate the ordinances.

Zahid, who is Bagan Datuk MP, said the need to vote down the emergency proclamation was in line with the party’s April 25 decision that all MPs would resign from their government positions should the state of emergency be extended beyond Aug 1.

This includes ministers, deputy ministers and those appointed to government-linked companies, he said.

The Dewan Rakyat reconvenes tomorrow for a special five-day sitting, after not meeting since December. The Dewan Negara (Senate) meets from Aug 3-Aug 5. - FMT