Step down if you can’t do your job, Kit Siang tells AG

By Lim Kit Siang

 

THE Attorney-General Tan Sri Idrus Harun should resign if he could not convince the prime minister to co-operate with the Yang di Pertuan Agong and the Rulers, by reconvening Parliament before Aug 1 to win the war against the COVID-19.

The Parliament is required by the Federal Constitution to meet once in six months. As the last Parliamentary meeting was on Dec 17, Parliament must meet by June 17.

This was, however, suspended by the proclamation of Emergency on Jan 11, to combat the pandemic.

If the Emergency ends on August 1, then the Parliament should reconvene on August 2.

However, if the Emergency is extended after Aug 1, this would be clearly going against the wishes of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the Malay Rulers.

The Rulers were clear on June 16, firstly that the Parliament and the State Assemblies should meet as soon as possible and secondly, there is no need for the Emergency to be extended beyond Aug 1.

The means we are about 41 days away to a Constitutional Crisis on Aug 2, if the Emergency is extended.

Malaysians do not want a Constitutional Crisis. We need a single-minded national effort to win the war against COVID-19 as more than 4,000 people in the country have died from the coronavirus.

Right now, Prime Minister Tan Sri Mahiaddin Yassin has very little credibility and legitimacy as head of Government.

If he goes against wishes of the Agong, the Rulers and the Malaysian people by insisting on the Emergency and proroguing the Parliament, he would end up with little credibility and legitimacy left.

The Attorney-General is the chief legal adviser to the prime minister. If the former cannot convince Mahiaddin to the right thing, then he should resign from his office. – June 20, 2021

 

Lim Kit Siang is the MP for Iskandar Puteri.

The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.

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