Malaysian democracy 'shrouded for burial' after Parliament suspended - Zahid Hamidi

KUALA LUMPUR: UMNO President, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi described the country's democracy as 'shrouded for burial' after Parliament was suspended following the Proclamation of Emergency.

According to him, the suspension of Parliament also caused the voice of the people brought by each Member of Parliament to be silenced when it could not be voiced in the Dewan Rakyat.

"Representatives of the people should sit in Parliament to convey the voice and pulse of the people.

“When democracy has been 'shrouded for burial' or already 'buried', then should the voice of the people be silenced?

"We should know, the people must be given priority in any situation," he said in an interview with the Malaysia Post portal.

In this regard, Ahmad Zahid said, the action of Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker, Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said in writing a letter to the Attorney General, Tan Sri Idrus Harun, applying for him to consider the suspension of the functions of Cabinet Ministers instead of replacing them with the appointment of the Special Emergency Cabinet, was a translation of the voice of UMNO MPs and the people.

"The voice of the Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker (Azalina Othman Said) is our voice too, not just her voice.

"When she wrote a letter to the Attorney General, it is not only from a legal and political aspect, but that is the voice of the people channelled through her thoughts," Ahmad Zahid added.

At the same time, the MP for Bagan Datuk said he upholds the decree of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah who declared a state of emergency on January 12.

However, he stressed, what was in question was why the parliamentary session was suspended and at the same time the industrial sector was reopened.

"Of course, this matter requires Parliament to convene. Why can't Parliament convene? But the night markets are open, the shopping malls are open?

“Are MPs more dangerous than night market patrons?" Ahmad Zahid asked cynically.

According to the UMNO president, the original objective of the emergency was to resolve the health crisis in the country due to COVID-19 and at the same time the government already has strict standard operating procedures (SOP) on efforts to address the pandemic.

Thus, Ahmad Zahid is confused as to why an emergency needs to be declared when the government's serious efforts to eradicate COVID-19 have been clearly proven.

"The fact is that the original objective is to deal with COVID-19, but we already have a very strict SOP, for me there is no need for a state of emergency to be declared.

"I am very loyal to the decree of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah who has been advised by the Prime Minister and he also got a mandate from the Cabinet," he added.

Commenting on the number of new COVID-19 infections that were still high in the country, Ahmad Zahid cynically said that the increase in the current wave was a 'great success' of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government.

"There are estimates that the case could reach 20,000 a day in March. It is indeed a good achievement and a 'great success' for our country.

"Of course, this gives the reason for the emergency to be extended because of this pandemic," he added.