Anwar moots idea for MPs to send letter to Agong asking for cancellation of emergency

KUALA LUMPUR: Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim confirmed that he had sent a letter to all Members of Parliament (MPs) to send a letter to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong before this Friday.

The letter is to seek consent of the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong to cancel the Emergency Proclamation and decree a parliamentary session as soon as possible.

The matter was informed in a media statement on Thursday.

"In the letter, I have suggested to all MPs to submit an appeal immediately. The letter should also be adjusted according to the consideration of all MPs or parties.

"Hopefully, this letter will get the courtesy and wisdom of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to withdraw the Proclamation of Emergency and then order that the Parliament Session be held immediately before January 31, 2021 to discuss the issue of emergency, COVID-19 and the economic crisis that hit the country," he said.

In his letter, Anwar, among others, said the proposal to declare a state of emergency submitted by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government was without legitimacy with the decline of MPs who supported the government.

Anwar further explained that he suggested to all MPs to submit an appeal immediately.

The letter, he explained, should also clearly be adjusted according to the consideration of all MPs or parties.

Anwar added that MPs did not dispute the reasonable steps taken to address the COVID-19 epidemic, however, the majority of MPs had urged that the 2021 Budget should focus on health issues and equipment, including allocations for frontline personnel.

He added that the existing views and provisions were sufficient to curb the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak, including the Movement Control Order (MCO) and the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO).

Anwar stressed that the emergency is not needed because the economic crisis needs to be given attention while the number of unemployed, poverty and disparities is increasing.

Thus, he explained, the declaration of an emergency will obviously cause the economy to become more acute.

He also thinks that the Prime Minister and the government had been misguided in conveying advice to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong because the emergency is not related to COVID-19 problems, floods or the economy.