POLITICAL instability was also a factor for the cabinet to propose to the king to proclaim emergency nationwide earlier this week, said Annuar Musa.

He said the political instability was a consideration along with the worsening Covid-19 pandemic that was adding pressure on the country’s economic and social development.

“It is inaccurate to say this emergency is only to handle the Covid-19 pandemic only,” he said in an interview with Malay daily Mingguan Malaysia today.

The federal territories minister likened the government’s decision on emergency to providing a solution during the flood season to avoid further catastrophe.

“If it’s only political instability, then it can be dealt with politically, if it is only Covid-19, then as long as the government is stable, it can be dealt with, but when it rains during high tide then the flood will get too massive, so we need a solution.

“Many people who are not involved in managing Covid-19 do not understand that an emergency was called due to Covid-19 but they said ‘it was not Covid-19 but to save the prime minister’,” he said.

He added that the situation right now coincided with several factors that can disrupt the stability, the livelihood and the safety of the people.

“From the political perspective, because there was a change of government and the ruling government had slim majority support, there are those who have taken advantage [of the situation] to cause instability,” he was quoted as saying in the report.

“Coincidentally, this instability occurred when the country and the whole world is dealing with Covid-19. There is a connection,” he added.

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin announced a state of emergency last Tuesday to curb the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic and the resulting economic downturn.

Under the emergency, Parliament and state legislative assemblies are suspended, and no elections can be held.

This has prompted the opposition to accuse the government of declaring the emergency to protect itself from being toppled.

Opposition lawmakers, led by opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, are appealing to the king to revoke the emergency as Covid-19 could be handled with current laws. – January 17, 2021.