Politics

Debate on emergency ordinances 'highly superfluous', says Vigneswaran

KUALA LUMPUR: Former Dewan Negara president Tan Sri SA Vigneswaran said there was no need to debate the emergency ordinances in Parliament on Monday as they would have been lifted by then.

As such the MIC president viewed the move to be "highly superfluous" at this juncture and would be a waste of time, which should instead be spent on helping the country recover from the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Since the emergency ordinances will lapse and be annulled on Aug 1 (tomorrow), MPs should not be subjected to lengthy harangue when more pertinent issues affecting the nation's current situation need to be handled," he said in a statement.

He said the special Parliament sitting was held to primarily debate the national recovery plan and to handle issues relating to the pandemic, adding that it was previously decided that no motions or resolutions would be considered during this sitting.

Vigneswaran's statement follows the Yang di-Pertuan Agong rebuke of the government on Thursday.

Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah had said he was disappointed by the de facto law minister Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan's unexpected announcement on the revocation of the emergency ordinances.

The King said Takiyuddin and Attorney-General Tan Sri Idrus Harun had failed to get his consent and abide by his request for these ordinances to be debated in Parliament.

In response, the Prime Minister's Office said the government's withdrawal of the laws was done in accordance with the law.

Vigneswaran said that the constitution dictated that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong had to act on advice, or after considering the advice of the Cabinet or the prime minister.

However, he claimed that the roles were now reversed in the country.

"We are now indeed treading on uncharted waters."

Most Popular
Related Article
Says Stories