Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Kuala Lumpur on Monday, 14th June 2021
Takiyuddin’s backtrack is not good enough when Muhyiddin continues to keep his silence on whether the SIEC will be the only authoritative body, and not the Cabinet or designated Minister, to advise the Yang di Pertuan Agong on whether to extend the emergency on August 1
The de facto Law Minister, Takiyuddin Hassan, has backtracked from his stand that it is the Cabinet’s responsibility to advise the Yang di-Pertuan Agong whether or not the emergency should be extended, but this is not good enough so long as the Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddihn Yassin keeps his silence on whether the Special Independent Emergency Committee (SIEC) will be the only authoritative body, and not the Cabinet or designated Minister, to advise the Yang di Pertuan Agong on whether to extend the emergency on August 1, 2021.
I would advise the entire 19-member Special Independent Committee headed by Arifin Zakaria to ask for a meeting with the Prime Minister and secure an assurance from him that it is the SIEC and not the Cabinet or designated Minister who will advise the Yang di Pertuan Agong on whether to extend the emergency on August 1 and that that this issue would not be the crown of all Covid-19 SOP flip-flops, U-turns and double-standards by the Perikatan Nasional government.
Takiyuddin’s backtrack does not commit the Cabinet in any way not to exercise its powers under Article 40 of the Malaysian Constitution to advise the Yang di Pertuan Agong on whether to extend the emergency on August 1 and where the Yang di Pertuan Agong is constitutionally required to act on the Cabinet’s advice.
Takiyuddin only said that the government has never interfered in the 19-member SIEC’s one job – to advise the Yang di-Pertuan Agong when the emergency should end – but what is the need for the government to interfere with the SIEC’s work when from Takiyuddin’s standpoint the SIEC is utterly irrelevant and immaterial as it is the advice of the Cabinet or the designated Minister which the Yang di Pertuan Agong should follow?
From Takiyuddin’s standpoint, whether the SIEC offers its advice or not is utterly inconsequential and irrelevant for it is the Cabinet or the designated Minister’s advice which will be the final say on the issue.
If Muhyiddin is not prepared to give to the SIEC the assurance that it is the SIEC’s advice which will have the final say on the issue, the SIEC might as well be disbanded.
