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KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama): Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin stresses that the emergency declaration in Malaysia was an appropriate action taken in response to a major health crisis and not due to politics.
The prime minister said the emergency was not to allow him to maintain the post of prime minister, but to ensure that the Covid-19 pandemic could be managed effectively and quickly.
He assured that the emergency would be lifted before its scheduled end of August 1 if the pandemic could be contained and the country was considered safe from the virus.
“… if we can solve it early (and) the Special Independent Committee that was created says it can (be lifted), I’ll just follow it … We also don’t want to be restricted by such regulation forever,” Muhyiddin said in a special interview with Bernama and several other media organizations at his Bukit Damansara residence here in conjunction with his first anniversary as Prime Minister.
The interview was broadcast on Buletin Bernama through Bernama TV at 8 pm on Sunday (February 28).
Muhyiddin said that through the Emergency Ordinance, the government can propose amendments to certain laws or enact new regulations in the form of Ordinances without having to go through Parliament, which could take a long time.
“So I would like to say that this does not mean that the Emergency allows me to hold the post of prime minister for a long time. I also don’t know which party now has more seats than me; previously there was an attempt to show (the numbers) but it was not proven. .
“I am sure I have a lot of support. I am convinced that my position is constitutionally correct. Legal. I cannot sit as an illegitimate prime minister. That is because I do my job correctly. Therefore, I am not worried about it.”
“But the emergency declaration was not a matter of politics; some politicians see it as politics, (but) no. Politics should not be used for emergencies, but this Covid-19 requires (declaration of) an emergency, so I hope people understand it, it was not for fear of not getting a majority in Parliament ”, he added.
The prime minister said the 15th general election will be held at an appropriate time because the priority now is to overcome the Covid-19 threat, which has infected more than 300,000 people and claimed more than 1,000 lives in the country.
“The important thing is that we fix this (Covid-19) first. When we’re done, I don’t want to wait a day (to hold elections) … we’re not worried at all …,” he said.
The first case of Covid-19 in Malaysia was reported on January 25 last year, and the first wave involved imported cases, while the second wave occurred in late February of the same year.
There was an increase in Covid-19 cases during the third wave that occurred in September last year after the Sabah state elections.
After daily positive cases rose from double digits to thousands, the prime minister advised Yang di-Pertuan Agong to declare an emergency.
On January 12, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah declared the Emergency Proclamation, which will be in effect until August 1.
Al-Sultan Abdullah also accepted the government’s proposal to establish the Special Independent Committee to advise it accordingly if the Emergency can be ended sooner. The committee is made up of government and opposition deputies and health experts.
The following are excerpts from the interview with the Prime Minister:
Question: The emergency declaration to control Covid-19 continues to be used as political fodder, including by partners in the Perikatan Nasional government, allegedly because the Perikatan government resorted to using Emergency because it had lost majority support in Parliament. What is Tan Sri’s comment?
Answer: Yes, we first decided to advise the Yang di-Pertuan Agong based on quite reasonable and appropriate reasons for this time. If you remember, when we wanted to do it the first time, His Majesty did not consent, but agreed the second time. Why? Because the Covid-19 situation was very worrying; it still worries us. That is why we request the declaration of Emergency, so that with it we can use the provisions of the Emergency Ordinance to handle the Covid-19 problem faster. This is because with the Emergency Ordinance, the government can propose amendments to various laws or new matters to be enacted in the form of ordinances, which will be brought to the Cabinet and then to the Agong.
When Agong gives his consent, it is published the next day and can be implemented. We can if we want to wait for the Parliament process, but it usually takes a long time, but with Covid-19 you can’t wait until tomorrow; must be resolved today.
That is why when we made the decision to toughen the application, we amended Laws 342 and 446. Law 342 is about health, for example, previously the maximum fine was RM1,000 only for large or small (crimes). It has been modified to provide for a maximum of RM10,000 or, for businesses and the like, it can go up to RM50,000. What is the purpose? To control and enforce to verify violations, etc.
Or previously the army cannot make arrests; if they want to help the police, they can’t do anything. So, we empower them to stop and arrest in accordance with existing police powers. But these are not normal times, our hospitals are at a breaking point and running out of capacity. So what should we do? We build temporary hospitals, MAEPS for example. With this power, we can take temporary possession of private hospitals, including their beds, equipment, doctors and nurses. It can be done with this (Ordinance); that’s why we use this approach. But the good thing about our country is that although we have this Law, they are willing to help voluntarily. We now have 1,300 additional beds; calculate how many millions we have to spend if we want to build 1,300 (beds).
We can use (your) ambulances, which are unlikely to be provided to us, but due to Emergency Law, we can use them. So there are many other matters that we have done, and then we found out that one of the main issues in this Covid-19 battle is non-compliance with Law 446 by employers.
What is Law 446? It deals with human resources; In the Ministry of Human Resources, there is a law that obliges employers to provide adequate accommodation (for workers). Almost 70% did not comply. Without Covid-19, it might not be obvious, but when Covid-19 hit, the breach caused cases to flare up here and there.
Now that we have made a small amendment to the law, we can act quickly. What we want to present to the Agong for his consent now is about (combating) Covid-19 fake news. We write the minutes in a week; the AG (Attorney General) did it all, the Cabinet will approve it and it will be presented to the Agong. If Agong consents, signs it, and after it is published, authorities will have the power to stop, arrest or take immediate action against anyone who believes all kinds of Covid-19 stories that are fake news.
What I am saying is that it does not mean that the emergency is intended for me to occupy the Prime Minister’s seat for a long time. I also don’t know which party now has more seats than me. Previously, there was an attempt to display (the numbers) but it was not tested. I’m sure I have a lot of support.
I am convinced that my position is constitutionally correct. Legal. I cannot be an illegitimate prime minister. I do my job well, that’s why. So, I’m not worried about it. But the emergency declaration was not a matter of policy. Some politicians see him as a politician, (but) no. The policy should not be used for an emergency, but this Cvodi-19 requires an emergency.
With the powers of the Emergency Ordinance, we can act more effectively; once (Covid-19) is resolved, we no longer need it. The previous Emergency was an open emergency, no time period was set. I established August 1, but if it can be resolved early, the Independent Special Committee that was established says it can be done (raised), I will just follow.
Not that I want to occupy the seat for two years although the previous Emergency lasted for two years. We do not need it. Once we have achieved what we set out to do, we will return to normal. We also don’t want to be forever restricted by such regulation. That is why my objective was not that. So, I hope people understand; It is not about being afraid of not getting a majority in Parliament.
People went to Parliament to challenge me, saying that I did not have the support of the majority. Our supply bill (budget) was passed 27 times. I do not want to presume; is registered in Parliament, the 2021 budget was approved. How was it approved if there was no majority? So I hope people don’t hesitate, because I know my position and I’m just fulfilling my duty, the mandate to take care of the rakyat. This is what I am doing now.
P: Epidemiologists say that it will take about a year after the start of vaccination before normal life is restored. Do you foresee the general elections to be held this year?
A: You will be subject to all those things. First things first, of course, to make sure we can manage Covid-19. If the Covid-19 is flattened, it is said that the country is safe from this pandemic, that is what we hope. That is first. The second question about when the Emergency will end depends on the work of the Independent Special Committee, whose objective is just that.
When there is information from the health authorities that all is well, most have been vaccinated or even if not all have been vaccinated, but the rate has dropped to, say, double digits; Then expert reports, epidemiologists say Malaysia is clear, okay, we will finish it.
It is not the government that will decide. The committee will inform the Agong that now that it is over, we can end the Emergency and return to normalcy.
And regarding the third question about the General Election (GE), according to the Constitution, when the ruling government feels that a GE is necessary, the prime minister will advise the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to dissolve the Parliament. If the Agong gives its consent based on the advice, only Parliament will be dissolved.
The question is when? Can you answer that? When the time is right; That’s why first things first, let’s fix this Covid-19 first. Do you see what happened in Sabah before? It didn’t bother us because our law says we have to hold (state) elections. So even up to now (Covid-19) is still not resolved. Then there was a demand for partial elections there, that is, in Bugaya and Batu Sapi, (but) the fear of Covid-19 forced us to suspend the polls … so, the important thing is that we fix this first. When we’re done, I don’t want to wait a day. We are not concerned about anything, that is the most important thing. – Bernama
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