(Tatal ke bawah untuk kenyataan versi BM)
I am surprised that the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Parliament), Takiyuddin Hassan, still insists that Parliament cannot convene so long as emergency is in effect.
This is against Section 14(1) of the Emergency (Essential Powers) Ordinance 2021, which states:
“14 (1) For as long as the emergency is in force –
(a) …
(b) The Parliament shall be summoned, prorogued and dissolved on a date as the Yang di Pertuan Agong thinks appropriate.”
It is as clear as crystal from this section in the Emergency Ordinance that Parliament can be convened “for as long as the emergency is in force”, and Takiyuddin has only himself to blame if the overwhelming majority of thinking Malaysians wonder that type of a de facto law Minister we have got in the country.
The Yang di Pertuan Agong is right when he said on Feb. 24 after meeting Dewan Negara speaker Rais Yatim and Dewan Rakyat speaker Azhar Azizan Harun that Parliament sitting can convene during the emergency order.
The Comptroller of the Royal Household Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin said the king has stated his view to Rais and Azhar that Parliament can resume on a date deemed suitable by the ruler upon the advice of the prime minister.
The Yang di Pertuan Agong referred to subparagraph 14(1)(b) of the Emergency (Essential Powers) Ordinance 2021 which states that Parliament should be called, prorogued and dissolved on a date as deemed appropriate by His Majesty on the advice of the prime minister.
This is not the first time that the de facto Law Minister had perversely disagreed with the Yang di Pertuan Agong. Takiyuddin also gave a ridiculous interpretation to the phrase “as soon as possible” to mean September, October or indefinitely when the Yang di Pertuan Agong after the Conference of Rulers special meeting on June 16 asked for Parliament to be convened “as soon as possible”.
Is Takiyuddin fit to be a Law Minister?
I am surprised that the Attorney-General, Idris Harun, could agree to the Emergency (Essential Powers) Ordinance 2021 which suspended Parliament, and the Parliament Speaker, Azhar Azizan Harun, could agree that Parliament be suspended by the Emergency (Essential Powers) Ordinance 2021 as many lawyers and constitutional experts are of the opinion that the suspension of Parliament goes against the very grain of the Malaysian Constitution and the system of governance founded on a constitutional monarchy based on parliamentary democracy.
I agree that any interpretation of the Constitution must adhere strictly to the principle that Malaysia is a constitutional monarchy based on a parliamentary democracy.
Idris Harun had issued a long statement justifying his stand that the law requires the Cabinet to advise the Yang di Pertuan Agong on when to convene Parliament.
Is he prepared to similarly justify his stand that Parliament could be suspended during an emergency?
Just as Idris Harun had made a serious error of judgement and law in advising the Prime Minister that Parliament can be suspended in an emergency, the Speaker of Parliament, Azhar Azizan Harun had made a serious error of judgement, law and parliamentary practice in not protesting to the Prime Minister about the unconstitutional suspension of Parliament by the emergency.
The Cabinet at its meeting on Wednesday has the last opportunity to make amends by observing both the spirit and letter of the Malaysian Constitution as well as fulfilling the two conclusions of the Conference of Rulers special meeting on June 16, viz: that Parliament and the State Assemblies convene “as soon as possible” and that there is no need to extend the emergency beyond August 1, 2021.
This is because it is still possible to convene Parliament with the requisite 28-notice before August 1, 2021 if the Cabinet decides on Wednesday, 30th June, to convene Parliament.
The Muhyiddin Cabinet must bear all responsibility for a full-blown constitutional crisis if it decides otherwise on Wednesday.
There must be a new start to the war against Covid-19 pandemic where all political and other differences are temporarily put aside so that the country can win the war against the coronavirus to save lives, livelihoods and the country’s economic future.
The National Recovery Plan hurriedly announced by the Prime Minister on 15th June on the eve of the Conference of Rulers special meeting is not one which can win the war against the Covid-19 pandemic.
This is illustrated by the last-minute decision to further extend the “total lockdown” of the nation until the threshold of less than 4,000 cases a day under Phase One of the exit plan is reached and the summary fashion of its announcement instead of through a live national telecast.
At the current rate of Covid-19 pandemic in Malaysia, we are likely to be ranked No. 35 among nations with the most cumulative total of Covid-19 cases by the end of June in three days’ time.
Malaysia will then have the dubious distinction as the only country in the world to jump 50 ranks in less than eight months, i.e. from No. 85 on Nov. 18 to No. 35 at the end of this month among countries with most cumulative total of Covid-19 cases – a shocking measure of the failure of the Malaysian war against Covid-19 pandemic.
Parliament must be immediately reconvened and transformed to become a War Parliament against Covid-19 Pandemic to assist the Executive, which had been fighting a losing battle this year.
From January 1st this year till yesterday, there had been 618,970 Covid-19 cases and 4,470 Covid-19 deaths. How many more people will die before the end of Covid-19 pandemic?
The Prime Minister has failed to deliver his promise in his 2021 New Year Message to “strengthen Malaysia’s position on the world stage”.#
It is most ironic that despite such a pledge, Malaysia has suddenly catapulted to become the world’s worst state in handling the Covid-19 pandemic.
Let us have one or two years of political moratorium and a “Win the War Against Covid-19 Pandemic” (WACOP) coalition in Parliament to save the country from the devastation in lives, economic losses and societal damages of the pandemic.
We must find the political will and ingenuity to remove all factors which undermine the national objective to reverse the tides of defeat and win the war against the Covid-19 pandemic.
As a start, let us have a hands-on and effective Health Minister as it is most ridiculous for Malaysia to fight the invisible but lethal war against the Covid-19 pandemic with a “dud” Health Minister.
Adham Baba had disabled himself from being an effective Health Minister with his “warm water” cure for Covid-19 gaffe in March last year, compounded by his rare ability to be prone to gaffes, as when early this month, he made the h blooper comparing Malaysia to UK on Covid-19 deaths when for that past week, Malaysia’s Covid-19 deaths was 11 times that of United Kingdom!
Adham is in trouble again and Health Ministry secretary-general has to come to his rescue for endorsing a most racial approach for the appointment of medical officers as well as discriminatory practices based on race.
There must also be extensive parliamentary reforms to enable Parliament to play its proper role as a War Parliament against the Covid-19 pandemic.
Finally, Parliament should finalise a more proper Covid-19 exit plan than the National Recovery Plan announced by the Prime Minister on June 15.
(Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri in Kuala Lumpur on Monday, June 28, 2021)
#kerajaangagal142 — Parlimen perlu menjadi Parlimen Perang dalam melawan wabak Covid-19 untuk membantu pihak Eksekutif yang sedang bertarung dalam perang yang mereka sedang kalah dalam tahun ini
Saya terkejut yang Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri (Hal Ehwal Undang-undang dan Parlimen), Takiyuddin Hassan, masih menekankan yang Parlimen tidak boleh bersidang selagi mana darurat berkuat kuasa.
Perkara ini bertentangan dengan Seksyen 14(1) Ordinan Darurat (Kuasa-kuasa Perlu) 2021 yang menyatakan”
“14(1) Bagi tempoh darurat berkuat kuasa —
(a) …
(b) Parlimen hendaklah dipanggil, diprorog dan dibubarkan pada suatu tarikh sebagaimana yang difikirkan sesuai oleh Yang di-Pertuan Agong.”
Jelas daripada peruntukan seksyen Ordinan Darurat ini yang Parlimen boleh dipanggil bersidang “selagi mana darurat berkuat kuasa”, dan Takiyuddin hanya boleh menyalahkan dirinya sendiri sekiranya seluruh negara mempersoalkan apa jenis Menteri Hal Ehwal Undang-undang yang kita sedang ada ini.
Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di Pertuan Agong tepat apabila baginda menitahkan pada 24 Februari selepas bermesyuarat dengan Yang di Pertua Dewan Negara, Rais Yatim, dan Yang di Pertua Dewan Rakyat, Azhar Azizan Harun, bahawa persidangan Parlimen boleh dipanggil semasa penguatkuasaan darurat.
Datuk Pengelola Bijaya Diraja, Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin mengatakan yang Yang di Pertuan Agong telah menyatakan pendapat baginda kepada Rais dan Azhar bahawa Parlimen boleh bersidang semula pada tarikh yang difikirkan sesuai oleh baginda selepas dinasihati oleh Perdana Menteri.
Yang di Pertuan Agong telah merujuk kepada subperenggan 14(1)(b) Ordinan Darurat (Kuasa-kuasa Perlu) 2021 yang menyatakan Parlimen patut dipanggil bersidang, diprorog, atau dibubarkan pada suatu tarikh yang difikirkan perlu oleh baginda atas nasihat Perdana Menteri.
Ini bukanlah kali pertama menteri hal ehwal undang-undang cuba untuk menyalah tafsir apa yang dikatakan oleh Yang di Pertuan Agong. Takiyuddin juga telah memberikan tafsiran yang tidak masuk akal kepada frasa “secepat mungkin” untuk memberi makna kepada bulan September, Oktober, atau bila-bila masa sahaja sedangkan mesyuarat khas Majlis Raja-raja pada 16 Jun secara jelas menitahkan supaya Parlimen bersidang semula “secepat mungkin”.
Adakah Takiyuddin ini sesuai untuk menjadi menteri undang-undang?
Saya terkejut dengan Peguam Negara, Idris Harun yang bersetuju bahawa Ordinan Darurat (Kuasa-kuasa Perlu) 2021 menggantung sidang Parlimen, dan terkejut dengan Yang di Pertua Dewan Rakyat, Azhar Azizan Harun yang bersetuju bahawa Parlimen digantung sidangnya dengan Ordinan ini sedangkan ramai peguam dan pakar perlembagaan berpendapat bahawa penggantungan sidang Parlimen bertentangan dengan asas utama Perlembagaan Malaysia dan sistem pentadbiran kita yang diasaskan kepada sistem raja berperlembagaan yang berteraskan demokrasi berparlimen.
Saya setuju bahawa mana-mana tafsiran Perlembagaan perlulah berlandaskan prinsip raja berperlembagaan yang berteraskan demokrasi berparlimen.
Idris Harun telah mengeluarkan satu kenyataan yang panjang yang memberikan justifikasi kepada pendirian beliau bahawa undang-undang di negara kita memerlukan Kabinet untuk menasihati Yang di Pertuan Agong mengenai bila Parlimen boleh dipanggil bersidang semula.
Adakah beliau bersedia untuk mempertahankan pendirian beliau mengenai sama ada Parlimen boleh digantung semasa darurat?
Seperti mana Idris Harun telah membuat kesilapan serius dari segi prinsip undang-undang apabila menasihati Perdana Menteri dengan mengatakan yang Parlimen boleh digantung semasa darurat, Yang Di Pertua Dewan Rakyat, Azhar Azizan Harun juga telah membuat kesilapan besar dari segi perundangan dan amalan parlimen apabila beliau tidak membantah keputusan Perdana Menteri untuk menggantung sidang Parlimen ini.
Mesyuarat Kabinet pada hari Rabu ini adalah peluang terakhir kerajaan untuk menghormati semangat perlembagaan negara dan merealisasikan hasrat mesyuarat khas Majlis Raja-raja dengan memanggil sidang Parlimen secepat mungkin. Masih terdapat cukup waktu untuk notis selama 28 hari bagi memanggil sidang Parlimen sebelum 1 Ogos 2021 sekiranya kabinet memutuskan untuk memanggil sidang pada 30 Jun.
Kabinet Muhyiddin perlu bertanggungjawab sepenuhnya ke atas krisis perlembagaan yang berlaku sekiranya mereka memutuskan sebaliknya pada hari Rabu.
Harus ada permulaan baharu dalam perang melawan Covid-19 di mana semua perbezaan politik dan lain-lain diketepikan buat sementara waktu sehingga negara kita dapat menang dalam perang melawan wabak ini untuk menyelamatkan nyawa, punca pendapatan dan masa depan ekonomi negara.
Pelan Pemulihan Negara tergesa-gesa diumumkan oleh Perdana Menteri pada 15 Jun pada hari sebelum mesyuarat khas Majlis Raja-Raja bukanlah satu perkara yang boleh membawa kemenangan dalam perang melawan Covid-19.
Perkara ini dapat dilihat daripada keputusan saat akhir untuk melanjutkan “sekatan pergerakan” dalam negara sehingga kadar kita mencapai kadar ambang di bawah 4,000 kes sehari di bawah Fasa 1 Pelan Pemulihan Negara.
Pada kadar penularan semasa Covid-19 dalam negara, kita akan berada di tempat ke-35 dengan jumlah kes terkumpul dalam masa tiga hari lagi di mana kita akan mencapai rekod buruk melonjak 50 anak tangga daripada tempat ke-85 ke tempat ke-35 dapat tempoh lapan bulan.
Parlimen perlu bersidang semula segera dan diubah menjadi Parlimen Perang untuk melawan wabak Covid-19.
Sejak 1 Januari awal tahun ini, kita telah mencatatkan 618,970 kes dan 4,470 kematian. Berapa ramai lagi yang perlu mati di negara kita sebelum wabak ini dapat dikawal?
Perdana Menteri telah gagal untuk menepati janjinya dalam Mesej Tahun Baru 2021 beliau untuk “mengukuhkan kedudukan Malaysia di pentas dunia”.
Perkara ini amatlah ironi, kerana dengan janji sebegitu, negara kita memecut menjadi negara dengan pengendalian Covid-19 yang terburuk di dunia.
Marilah kita adalah moratorium politik selama setahun atau dua dan membentuk gagasan memerangi Covid-19 di Parlimen untuk menyelamatkan negara daripada kemusnahan.
Kita perlu mencari iltizam politik untuk mengetepikan semua faktor yang menghalang usaha untuk mencari kemenangan dalam melawan wabak ini. Sebagai permulaan, marilah kita cari seorang Menteri Kesihatan yang berkesan, kerana Menteri Kesihatan yang ada sekarang ini tidak dapat dilihat dalam usaha negara untuk memerangi wabak Covid-19.
Adham Baba telah melumpuhkan dirinya daripada menjadi seorang Menteri Kesihatan yang efektif dengan pelbagai kesilapan bodohnya tahun lepas. Beliau sekali lagi mencari masalah apabila beliau menyokong pendekatan perkauman dalam pelantikan pegawai perubatan sehingga Ketua Setiausaha Kementerian Kesihatan terpaksa menyelamatkan keadaan.
Kita perlu mempunyai reformasi menyeluruh Parlimen untuk membolehkan Parlimen memainkan peranannya sebagai Parlimen Perang dalam melawan wabak Covid-19.
Akhirnya, Parlimen juga perlu membentangkan rancangan keluar daripada wabak Covid-19 yang lebih bersesuaian berbanding dengan Pelan Pemulihan Negara yang diumumkan oleh Perdana Menteri pada 15 Jun.
(Kenyataan Media Ahli Parlimen DAP Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang di Kuala Lumpur pada hari Isnin, 28 Jun 2021)