#kerajaangagal118 – Does the three-paragraph statement from the Prime Minister’s Office yesterday signify Mahiaddin’s rejection of the two conclusions of the Conference of Rulers special meeting and a full-blown constitutional crisis in-the-making?

Does the three-paragraph statement from Prime Minister’s Office yesterday signify the Prime Minister, Mahiaddin Md Yasin’s rejection of the two conclusions of the Conference of Rulers special meeting and a full-blown constitutional crisis in-the-making?

The two conclusions of the Conference of Rulers special meeting on Wednesday were that Parliament and the State Assemblies should be convened as soon as possible and that there is no need for the emergency to extend beyond August 1, 2021.

I call on the Cabinet not to start a constitutional crisis but to take advantage of the Conference of Rulers special meeting to launch a new beginning to win the war against Covid-19 pandemic.

Malaysians do not want any constitutional crisis in any form but a single-minded focus by every Malaysian, whether in the Executive or the Legislatures, to win the war against the Covid-19 pandemic – and this must remain the nation’s single-minded focus whether it takes one or two years.

It is most regrettable that the Cabinet is not meeting in emergency session to act on the two conclusions of the Conference of Rulers special meeting, as in convening a parliamentary meeting on Monday, 19th July 2021 – which is still possible under the Dewan Rakyat Standing Orders.

When announcing the Proclamation of Emergency in a live national telecast on January 12, 2021, the Prime Minister said Covid-19 infection cases “are on the rise and show no signs of decline in the near future”.

Sadly, after more than five months after the Proclamation of Emergency on January 11, 2021, Covid-19 infections are still “on the rise and show no signs of decline in the near future.” In fact, we have become worse a yesterday’s daily increase of 5,738 cases exceeded the previous peak of daily increase of 5,728 new cases on January 30, 2021, and we have the heavy toll of 60 deaths yesterday as compared to the peak of daily death of 25 cases on Feb. 18, 2021.

The Prime Minister should be aware that his repeated assurance that his government is committed to ensuring good governance has little credibility, and this is where the various Parliamentary Select Committees can play an important role to convince Malaysians and the world that there is good governance, effective and efficient government and the rule of law in the country.

The country needs a National Recovery Plan and as far back as April last year, I had called on the government to hold extensive consultation with different Malaysian stakeholders on the proper exit strategy from the Covid-19 pandemic and proper National Recovery Plan to be drawn up.

The National Recovery Plan announced by the Prime Minister in his live national telecast on Tuesday is most unsatisfactory and unsuitable.

The Cabinet should act fast and show it is capable of quick, creative and nimble response to the challenges in the war against Covid-19 pandemic and not take its sweet time to respond to the two conclusions of the Conference of Rulers special meeting.