#kerajaangagal127 –PAS Ministers opposing the two conclusions of the Yang di Pertuan Agong and the Special Conference of Rulers meeting on Covid-19 pandemic is consistent with PAS’ reservations about the five nation-building principles of Rukunegara
So far, only two PAS Ministers have come out with public positions contradictory to the two conclusions of the Yang di Pertuan Agong and the Special Conference of Rulers meeting on Covid-19: firstly, Parliament and the State Assemblies should be convened as soon as possible, and secondly, there is no need for the emergency to extend beyond August 1, 2021.
It has not come as a surprise that PAS Ministers oppose the two conclusions of the Yang di Pertuan Agong and the Special Conference of Rulers meeting on June 16, 2021 as this is consistent with PAS’ reservations about the five nation-building principles of Rukun Negara.
But the PAS Ministers have ingeniously expressed their disagreement not with a frontal attack but a flank approach claiming that the Yang di Pertuan Agong and the Rulers were in fact supporting the National Recovery Plan, and as the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Takiyuddin Hassan said, endorsing the Prime Minister’s plan to convene Parliament in September.
The other PAS member of the Cabinet, Minister for Environment and Water, Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, claimed that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s opinion that Parliament should reconvene as soon as possible is in line with Putrajaya’s efforts.
The problem is that nobody apart from PAS Ministers and leaders think so.
The two statements issued after the Conference of Rulers special meeting on 16th June 2021 were very clear as they did not even endorse the National Recovery Plan announced by the Prime Minister on the eve of the Conference of Rulers special meeting. The only reference to the National Recovery Plan was that it should be debated in Parliament.
If this is a wrong interpretation of PAS’ position on the Conference of Rulers special meeting, then let the PAS leadership come out with a categorical and unambiguous stand that PAS supports the Yang di Pertuan Agong and the Rulers in wanting Parliament to meet before August 1 and that there is no need for an extension of emergency beyond August 1.
Would the PAS leadership issue such a statement?
There are no signs that the Prime Minister would convene an emergency Cabinet meeting to comply with the two conclusions of the Conference of Rulers special meeting last Wednesday.
All that the Prime Minister has said is that the Opposition would be involved in the study of the reconvening of Parliament and whether it should be held in hybrid Parliament mode.
This is not good enough as the Prime Minister must give a commitment to convene Parliament before August 1 to assure the nation that the Executive is doing the utmost to comply with the two conclusions of the Conference of Rulers special meeting last Wednesday.
Or will the Cabinet on Wednesday overrule the Prime Minister on this issue and come out with a clear declaration that the Cabinet supports the Yang di Pertuan Agong and the Rulers on the convening of Parliament before August and the ending of the present emergency?
The National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (NIP) Coordinating Minister Khairy Jamaluddin has just announced a half-month delay in the Phase One of the National Recovery Plan when he revealed that the country is estimated to fully vaccinate 10 percent of the population in the country by mid-July instead of the end of June, holding back the transition to Phase 2 of the National Recovery Plan.
With so many variables in play, it would not be surprising if Phase 3 when Parliament is supposed to be convened, would face considerable delays.
The Prime Minister’s undertaking without a clear commitment for the convening of Parliament before August 1 will be meaningless and I call on the Prime Minister to make a categorical and unqualified statement that Parliament will be convened before August 1, 2021.