THE government had acted in accordance with the legal provisions and federal constitution in revoking the emergency ordinances on July 21, the Prime Minister’s Office said today. 

The PMO said the cabinet on July 21 decided not to extend the emergency upon its expiry on August 1, and following that, to advise the Agong to revoke all the related ordinances. 

“On July 23, the prime minister had informed the Agong about cabinet’s advice to revoke the ordinances, and urged the king to give his assent,” said the statement.

The PMO also said that Article 40 of the federal constitution stipulates that the Agong must heed the advice of the cabinet, something which it said the ruler had acknowledged in his press statement earlier today. 

It added that on the following day, on July 24, the Agong had summoned Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Parliament) Takiyuddin Hassan and Attorney-General Idrus Harun to give him a detailed explanation of the cabinet advice. 

The PMO said when the special Parliament meeting started on Monday, all the ordinances were laid in accordance with Article 150(3) of the federal constitution. 

“However opposition lawmakers urged for a debate on the ordinances.

“Following this, the minister in the Prime Minister’s Department had informed the MPs that the government had decided to revoke the ordinances. 

“This is a factual statement with the intention to be transparent in informing the House on the matter.” 

However this had also raised questions over the Agong’s assent on the matter, it added. 

The PMO said that the prime minister and A-G then had an audience with the Agong at noon on Tuesday to once again explain to him the situation and advise him on the cabinet decision to revoke the ordinances. 

“It was also to explain to the king the confusion that was being caused by the opposition. 

“The prime minister had also explained the government’s view that the ordinances need not be debated in Parliament as the cabinet has advised the Agong to revoke them.” 

On top of that, the PMO added, the Parliament sitting was only a special meeting with the agenda of presenting ministerial statements, and there were no motions on revocation of the ordinances. 

The PMO statement also stated that the prime minister, in carrying out his duties and responsibilities, had followed the principles of law and constitution. 

“The prime minister also advises the public to be calm, and God willing, this issue can be solved in accordance with the law and constitution.” 

The explanation from PMO comes after the Agong had expressed his disappointment of not being aware about the revocations of the ordinances.

In a statement issued by Istana Negara, the king also said he had not given his assent to the revocations, and that Takiyuddin had misled the MPs on the matter. 

The Agong further hit out at the government for disrespecting the principles of rules of law, and paying no heed to the constitutional powers and functions of the king. 

He also said that on the July 24 online meeting with Takiyuddin and A-Idrus, he had decreed that the motion to repeal emergency ordinances must be tabled and debated for the purpose of dissolution, and that it was not implemented. 

The king’s statement caused a major ruckus in Dewan Rakyat today, with the opposition calling for Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and Takiyuddin to resign for misleading the House. 

Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has also filed a motion of no-confidence against Muhyiddin. 

The Parliament sitting was, however, adjourned following claims of Covid-19 infections among parliamentary staff. 

It is uncertain if the sitting will take place on Monday, which is the last of the five days of special sitting. – July 29, 2021.