SEVERAL lawmakers have set up a committee to appeal to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to call an end to emergency rule.

The Committee for the Cessation of State of Emergency, as it is named, is made up of  23 members and led by Amanah communications director Khalid Samad.

Khalid said the committee is not tied to any political party even though its members are politicians.

“We are acting as individuals within our own parties. We are open to working with any politician, even those from Barisan Nasional as long as their goal is to see an end to the emergency,” Khalid said.

Former Batu MP Tian Chua, Seputeh MP Teresa Kok, Petaling Jaya MP Maria Chin Abdullah and Khairuddin Abu Hassan are among the members.

They have put out a petition to collect signatures in support of their cause.

“We have collected a few hundred signatures from individuals and more than 100 from civil society groups,” he said.

The petition is available on the website #tamatdarurat.com. 

“Those who want the emergency to end can head to the website and do the needful. The committee aims to collect as many signatures as possible before it is handed to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong,” Khalid said.

The former federal territories minister said the Agong should be made aware of the people’s wish for an end to the state of emergency.

The committee plans to hand the petition to the Agong before the start of Ramadan.

Khalid urged Malaysians to sign the petition to end the emergency so that Malaysia can recover” politically, economically and socially.”

He added that those signing the petition need not fear repercussions for speaking out for what is wrong.

On January 12, the Agong declared a state of emergency in the country until August 1 to stem the rising number of Covid-19 infections.

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s critics, however, said the move was a last-ditch attempt to remain in power after two MPs withdrew their support for Muhyiddin.

Although Muhyiddin has since added two former PKR MPs (Tebrau and Julau) to his side, his critics estimate that he only has 111 MPs supporting him.

On February 20, the Perikatan Nasional government announced it had formed a Special Independent Emergency Committee 2021 (SIEC) that will advise the Agong when it would be feasible to lift the Emergency ahead of its scheduled end on August 1.

Former chief justice Arifin Zakaria was appointed to head a 19-member independent committee. – March 12, 2021.