AN emergency declaration is unnecessary and just a way to bypass Parliament, said opposition MPs.

“I think it is a very extreme measure given how effective the movement-control order was when it was implemented from March till May,” said Tg Malim MP Chang Lih Kang.

“All the controls needed to curb the spread of Covid-19 are already there under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act. Why push for an emergency?

“It seems like an overkill,” the PKR vice-president told The Malaysian Insight today.

The Tg Malim MP was reacting to news that the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government plans to introduce some kind of emergency amid the Covid-19 pandemic and political instability.

“The only conclusion we can draw from this is that PN is trying to bypass Parliament by declaring an emergency,” said Chang.

PN’s move comes at a time when Umno threatened to withdraw its support for the government after Pakatan Harapan chairman Anwar Ibrahim announced on September 23 that he has more support in Parliament than Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

On top of that, more than half a dozen MPs have already filed no-confidence motions against Muhyiddin and his government also has to face the Budget 2021 vote in the Parliament session that begins on November 2.

The first time Malaysia declared a state of emergency was in 1969 following race riots and general election. Although lawmakers had been elected in 1969, Parliament did not convene until 1971.

During this time, the country was governed by the National Operations Council in lieu of an elected government. The emergency proclamation was not rescinded until 2011 under the Najib Razak administration.

In the 1969 emergency declaration, elections were suspended and the NOC was given the power to make new laws from time to time without going through Parliament.

Pulai MP Salahuddin Ayub said Muhyiddin should step down as he has failed.

“Although the whole world is facing Covid-19, nobody else has declared a state of emergency,” said the Amanah deputy president.

“He should not use Covid-19 as an excuse to hang on to power when he does not have the majority. I hope the king will see through this and act accordingly,” said the former agriculture and agro-based industry minister.

Kangar MP Amin Ahmad also disagreed with the move to declare emergency.

“There doesn’t seem to be any concrete reasons to support a state of emergency,” said the PKR leader.

“Muhyiddin is just trying to defend his power because his government has no leadership or direction. It is very irresponsible.”

Several opposition leaders and activists also objected to the emergency proposal on social media.

Amanah president Mohamad Sabu slammed Muhyiddin for wanting to declare an emergency to safeguard his position.

“If the reason is Covid-19, we have existing laws to overcome the virus without resorting to emergency,” said the former defence minister on his Twitter.

Meanwhile, DAP leader Liew Chin Tong said on his social media that ruling party politicians are hurting the nation’s long-term interests and are dividing the nation further with their emergency plan.

Former health minister Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said what was needed was a “strategic public health response to the third wave of Covid-19 and effective communication”.

“Not a ‘legislative-political intervention’ where Putrajaya usurps power of opposition MPs to check and balance and legit dissent! A huge admission of failure!” he said.

Former Selangor legislative speaker and Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh posted on twitter that: “Perikatan Nasional in a tweet (means) bloated cabinet, ministers who don’t coordinate, hardly face the media and has four senior ministers but yet have to use emergency as an excuse to rule.”

They were commenting on news that the cabinet, in a special meeting this morning, has decided to implement an emergency amid political instability and the Covid-19 pandemic.

Sources said the emergency was agreed upon to tackle the worsening Covid-19 situation.

The move comes at a time when Muhyiddin is facing political pressure from internal and external forces.

If a declaration of emergency also involved proroguing Parliament, Muhyiddin will not face pressure in tabling Budget 2021 or face a no-confidence vote. – October 23, 2020.