THE recent action by the Perikatan Nasional (PN) Government is deeply troubling and we will be moving towards “stealth authoritarianism” if the matter is left unchecked.
“Everything is done without transparency. There was no official announcement, no tabling in Parliament, not even a notification from the National Palace and gazetting of the Emergency.
“The sanctity of Parliament must be upheld to its highest virtues. It is not a playground. The PN Government has ignored its solemn Parliamentary duty by advancing their personal gains at the expense of national interest,” claimed Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, in a Facebook post.
Yesterday, Law Minister Takiyuddin Hassan shocked MPs when he told the Dewan Rakyat that Putrajaya had cancelled all Emergency Ordinances (EO) that were enacted this year, on July 21 during a Cabinet meeting.
“The Government has decided, based on Article 150(3) (of the Federal Constitution), to cancel all emergency ordinances (formulated) during the proclamation of emergency.
“Hence, (the laws have been) revoked. Therefore, the issue of annulment (of the laws) is no longer relevant,” Malaysiakini reported him as saying.
Several legal experts have questioned the legality of the Government annulling the EO in such manner, with lawyer Mohamed Haniff Khatri saying that PN had removed itself from power under Section 11 of the Emergency (Essential Powers) Ordinance 2021.
Touching on the matter, Mohamad Hasan opined that such a move was unconstitutional, adding it was suspicious that the EO, scheduled to be tabled in this special sitting, was suddenly cancelled.
He added that it was ludicrous that the EO was implemented without being tabled in Parliament, never debated and its implementation could not be scrutinised by the Parliament.
“The cancellation was also only bafflingly announced in Parliament. Since when has the Parliament reduced to become a mere ‘rubber stamp’ to Cabinet decisions?” The Rantau state assemblyman asked. – July 27, 2021.
Photo credit: Malay Mail
