Many scared to voice out emergency not necessary - Tun Mahathir

KUALA LUMPUR: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has claimed that many parties are of the view that the emergency implemented since January 11 is not necessary.

However, the former prime minister said they were afraid to voice their opinion.

"They explained but they are seen to be in fear, they are low-pitched while looking around them and they also told not to let anyone know their opinion.

"They are scared because the government is in power and can do anything to them, a fine of RM5 million and 10-year imprisonment and cannot get legal protection," Dr Mahathir wrote on his blog, chedet.cc, on Monday.

Commenting further, the Langkawi Member of Parliament said he tried to explain that the government could not do so but the parties who met him were still worried.

"When they are asked to sign an appeal letter for the emergency to be withdrawn, they refused," he said.

Previously, Dr Mahathir had issued a statement that Malaysia need not be placed under emergency at this time because the government has sufficient power to curb the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to him, the government can deal with the spread of COVID-19 by implementing the Movement Control Order (MCO) and so on, therefore the emergency proclamation is not required.