SENIOR minister Mohamed Azmin Ali should be negotiating with the states that have snubbed the conditional movement control order (CMCO), instead of asking companies to sue the governments, said PKR president Anwar Ibrahim.

“State governments have their powers according to the federal constitution such as power over local council.

“Why didn’t he discuss with them properly instead of resorting to threats and telling companies to sue the states?” said Anwar during a Facebook live session today.

Azmin, he added, is acting like US President Donald Trump, who similarly threatened American states that did not wanted to reopen the economy last week.

Anwar was commenting on Azmin’s statement yesterday following the decision by eight states that rejected the federal government’s decision to reopen all sectors of the economy on May 4.

Azmin, who is the international trade and industry minister, had issued a stunning rebuke of the state governments saying they had no right to reject the move and that companies should sue the governments.

Sabah, Sarawak Pahang, Kelantan, Penang, Kedah, Selangor, Negri Sembilan have yet to allow industries to open.

Sabah said it will not implement the CMCO and would stick to the MCO until May 12, while the other states are either mulling or allowing businesses to reopen with much stricter rules.

Anwar said that the criticism is not just from the opposition.

“The government MPs have also criticised the move because the policies are incoherent and unclear. Restarting the economy should not come at a loss of lives.”

He hoped that the government will organise itself better so ministers are on the same page.

“The response from the state governments is very negative and reflects flaws in the policy guidelines.”

After two days of triple-digit growth in infections, new Covid-19 cases yesterday dropped to 55 with no deaths.

Seven of the new infections were imported.

Total cases stand at 6,353 and the death toll at 105. – May 5, 2020.