#kerajaangagal194 – Azhar must end the constitutional havoc caused by a government fearing to test its majority in Parliament by upholding the Malaysian Constitution founded on the bedrock principles of a constitutional monarchy based on parliamentary democracy and the separation of powers and be prepared to pay the price for his principles

The Parliament Speaker, Azhar Azizan Harun must end the constitutional havoc caused by a government fearing to test its majority in Parliament by upholding the Malaysian Constitution founded on the bedrock principles of a constitutional monarchy based on parliamentary democracy and the separation of powers and be prepared to pay the price for his principles.

If a Parliament Speaker has to decide between upholding the Malaysian Constitution principles of constitutional monarchy based on parliamentary democracy and the dictates of a Prime Minister, Azhar should know what a principled Speaker should do.

The Pakatan Harapan presidential council has urged the Speaker to make several changes to the upcoming parliamentary session to fulfil the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the Malay rulers’ decree for Parliament to be convened to debate the Emergency Proclamation, the Emergency Ordinances and the National Recovery Plan to end the Covid-19 pandemic.

Azhar as a principled Speaker will have no choice but to resign as Parliament Speaker if he cannot fulfil the decree of the Yang di Pertuan Agong and the Rulers that Parliament should debate the Emergency Proclamation, Emergency Ordinances and the National Recovery Plan.

However, this should now not pose any problem as the Prime Minister, Muhyiddin Yassin and the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law), Taikyuddin Hassan had given their word that there would be debate when Parliament reconvenes on Monday as the Prime Minister had written to the Dewan Rakyat Speaker requesting for the MPs to be allowed to debate and ask questions.

I had suggested that there should be a full debate on the Ministerial statement on each of the five days of the Parliament special meeting in keeping with the decree of the Yang di Pertuan and the Rulers and the Prime Minister’s written request, which could easily be done if the Speaker exercise his powers under Dewan Rakyat Standing Orders 99 and 100.

I therefore call on Azhar to end all the confusion and uncertainty and to make it crystal clear that there would debates on the Emergency Proclamation, Emergency Ordinances and the National Recovery Plan at the Parliament special meeting beginning on Monday.

As for Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker, Rashid Hasnon’s suggestion of limiting the number of MPs at each sitting to 80, I do not see any problem of all MPs physically attending the Parliament special meeting as all MPs have been vaccinated.

Furthermore, as Muhyiddin had joined a congregation of about 300 people to perform the Aidiladha prayer at the National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur, I do not see any problem as Muhyiddin can declare a failed emergency to combat the Covid-19 pandemic but he will not be able to live down the infamy for all times for advocating a “new maths” where 220 is more than 300.

We must ensure that the Parliament special meeting beginning Monday meet two objectives: firstly, fulfil the decree of the Yang di Pertuan Agong and Conference of Rulers special meeting of June 16 for Parliament to debate the Emergency Proclamation, the Emergency Ordinances and the National Recovery Plan; and secondly, to make a difference in the losing war against the Covid-19 pandemic, where Malaysia has become one the world’s worst performing nations.

This is why I had suggested that the Cabinet meeting yesterday should set a purpose for the special meeting of Parliament beginning on Monday, and that the Prime Minister should lead the charge when Parliament meets to turn the tides of defeat in the war against Covid-19 pandemic with a truly “all-of-government” and “whole-of-nation” national coalition at all levels of society to bring the Covid-19 pandemic under control.

I also suggested that the "Roadmap to Recovery from Covid-19" platform drawn up by the new civil society coalition, the Health Emergency Action Plan (HEAP), should be the basis of debate in next week’s Parliament special meeting.

It is most regrettable that there had been silence after the Cabinet meeting yesterday. Can we have some enlightenment from the Prime Minister?