Democratic Action Party (DAP) Secretary-General and Member of Parliament (MP) for Bagan, Lim Guan Eng in a press statement yesterday rebutted the continuous action by de facto Law Minister, Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan to defend the suspension of Parliament by the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government.

Despite the Yang di-Pertuan Agong himself decreeing that Parliament can convene during the proclamation of emergency, PN and Takiyuddin remain defiant and would only allow the Legislative branch to properly function once the emergency is retracted.

Furthermore, Takiyuddin recently even claimed that the government can still function well even though the Legislative is paralysed with the suspension of Parliament. This ill-advised statement drew the ire from Lim Guan Eng who branded the de facto Law Minister as not only wrong but highly irresponsible.

The DAP Secretary-General then went on to refute Takiyuddin by listing 6 reasons why the government can’t function correctly without the Legislative branch being allowed to do its job. Here are the reasons in full:

1. Suspending the Legislative is an act of treachery against parliamentary democracy

How can the government be functioning well when only two out of the three branches of the Federal Constitution, namely the Executive and the Judiciary, are allowed to operate?

The Federal Constitution is only whole and perfect if all 3 branches can function namely Parliament, the Executive and the Judiciary as a democratic form of check and balance. Suspending Parliament, the supreme institution and branch in the Federal Constitution, is an act of treachery against parliamentary democracy.

2. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong has decreed that Parliament can convene

Unlike other previous Emergency Proclamation in 1969, no King had ever issued a public statement that Parliament is not suspended and can still convene.

Our present Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah has declared that the present Emergency Proclamation only deals with the COVID-19 public health crisis and does not prevent Parliament from meeting and functioning normally. Failing to obey the King is a clear act of “lese majeste”.

3. Even sports stadiums are allowed to open, why can’t Parliament?

There is no reason for Parliament not to be restored and meetings held. This is because based on the current Covid-19 SOPs by the National Security Council (MKN), schools, business establishments, courts and even sport stadiums are allowed to open. 

4. All MPs are the priority receivers of the Covid-19 vaccine

What is the point of vaccinating all MPs and promoting the RM5 billion National Immunisation Programme, if MPs are prohibited from exercising their duties? It is high time for members of the Legislative to exercise their powers and responsibilities, particularly on legislating new laws and government oversight.

5. A clear bipartisan majority of MPs are demanding for Parliament to be restored

A majority of MPs from both the opposition and government backbenchers have openly called for Parliament to reconvene. This include the Deputy Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat herself, Azalina Othman Said.

The powers of Parliament must be restored immediately.

6. The rakyat demands Parliament to repeal the harsh laws for MCO restrictions

The rakyat is outraged by the harsh and disproportionate laws regarding the violation of Movement Control Order (MCO) restrictions. This include up to RM10,000 fines for individuals and RM50,000 for companies.

The Malaysian people wants Parliament to meet to review and repeal such a harsh law and various others introduced by PN without check and balance.

After listing out all the reasons above, Lim Guan Eng then reminded that Takiyuddin has a duty to the rakyat to abide by the rule of law. The MP for Bagan stressed,

“Takiyuddin should perform his duties according to the rule of law and not act contrary to the Federal Constitution and the wishes of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.”