PUTRAJAYA should revoke the suspension of Parliament under state of emergency so that the government can pass new financial measures for the people, said Lim Guan Eng.

The former finance minister also questioned why can’t the legislature function as normal under emergency when the executive and judiciary branches of government are allowed to function.

“How then can an emergency proclamation redress obvious shortcomings from the government when Parliament is suspended.

“How will the problems in mismanagement, abuse of power and the sufferings of the people be brought forward by MPs without any parliamentary meetings? How can the failure of ministers to do their jobs properly be highlighted?,” said the Bagan MP in a statement today. 

He said for these reasons, the suspension of Parliament and the state assemblies should be revoked to allow MPs to bring up and compel the government to offer urgent financial measures for the people.

The DAP secretary-general said his party was disappointed with Dewan Rakyat Speaker Azhar Harun for failing to defend the supremacy of Parliament by supporting Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s emergency declaration which included suspending Parliament.

He said Muhyiddin had failed to consider the financial burden of the people in declaring the emergency and the two-week movement control order.

“Perikatan Nasional’s failure to announce urgent financial measures to save Malaysia’s economy accompanying the declaration of the state of emergency proves that Muhyiddin is not focused on saving jobs, businesses and the people’s livelihood.

“The unemployment rate rose by 0.1% to 4.8% in November 2020 as a result of the conditional and recovery MCO imposed then. 

“Small and medium enterprises (SMEs), trade unions and employer groups  have warned of more business closures and workers’ retrenchments for the latest round of MCO and emergency.

“The tourism industry, which lost RM100 billion in revenue last year, need urgent financial ‘life-support’,” he said.

Lim said there was no forthcoming financial help from the government and that many promises remain unfulfilled.

Despite announcing the second round of MCO on Monday, Muhyiddin caught everyone by surprise when he added the emergency proclamation, which will run until August 1. 

The prime minister said a state of emergency will give wider powers for his government to tackle the Covid-19 crisis.

Lim said the re-imposition of the MCO was more than sufficient to handle the surging Covid-19 cases in the country.

He accused Muhyiddin of using the emergency and the suspension of Parliament to remain in power. – January 13, 2021.