PRIME Minister Muhyiddin Yassin is not expected to be moved by Umno’s 14-day ultimatum to convene Parliament, said analysts.

They said Perikatan Nasional has already decided when parliament will convene and Umno’s demand will not change anything.

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia political science lecturer Dr Mazlan Ali told The Malaysian Insight PN will not change its plans to accommodate Umno.

Umno on Sunday demanded that the prime minister summon parliament within 14 days.

Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi did not say what the party planned to do if the government did not meet its ultimatum.

Last week, Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, after meeting with the Conference of Rulers, decreed that parliament must convene as soon as possible.

The king said lawmakers must sit to debate the emergency ordinances and national recovery plan to exit the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Prime Minister’s Office responded with the statement that the government will act according to the federal constitution and the law.

Mazlan said Umno is unlikely to do anything if the government does not meet its 14-day deadline to call a Dewan Rakyat sitting.

“Umno is split into too many factions and I don’t expect anything drastic to happen even if Muhyiddin doesn’t call parliament in the next two weeks,” Mazlan said.

Former Umno Supreme Council member Nur Jazlan Mohamed declined to comment on Zahid’s statement.

“The state chiefs met with the president and Zahid has already issued a statement. There’s no need to add to it,” said Nur Jazlan.

Universiti Utara Malaysia’s Dr Kamarul Zaman Yusoff said Umno was acting in defence of the institution of Malay rulers.

“At the very least, this will endear Umno to the palaces as well as the royalists.

“At the same time, Zahid’s statement also has the potential of highlighting the deep divisions within Umno,” Kamarul said, referring to party members Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz and Zahidi Zainul Abidin’s criticisms of the president for allegedly making a unilateral statement on the matter.

Nazri told AgendaDaily that Zahid had decided on the ultimatum without consulting Umno MPs or the Supreme Council.

Kamarul, who teaches political science, said the statement has also exacerbated the rifts in Barisan Nasional, as shown by MIC and MCA’s distancing of themselves from Zahid’s statement.

“Quite damaging is the fact that Zahid’s statement can be construed as either showing a lack of comprehension of or lack of respect for procedural and legal matters surrounding the parliamentary process, as raised by Nazri.

“However, such a statement could have some effect on the government in that it can force it to show more urgency in dealing with the matter. Worse is to come if other leaders support Zahid’s call for Umno to do something if parliament is not convened within the stipulated time,” said Kamarul. – June 22, 2021.