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Emergency ordinances to be tabled in parliament next month; repeal process was incomplete: PM Muhyiddin

Emergency ordinances to be tabled in parliament next month; repeal process was incomplete: PM Muhyiddin

FILE PHOTO: Malaysia's Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin speaks during a news conference in Putrajaya, Malaysia March 11, 2020. REUTERS/Lim Huey Teng

KUALA LUMPUR: A motion to debate and annul the emergency ordinances will be tabled in the parliament meeting in September, said Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

He said the process to repeal the ordinances, as the Cabinet had advised King Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah on Jul 23, could not be completed.

"In line with the king's decree and Article 150(3) of the Federal Constitution, a motion to debate and then annul the relevant emergency ordinances can be brought to the parliament meeting scheduled to be held in Sep 2021," he said in a statement on Tuesday (Aug 3). 

The Cabinet will discuss the motion on Wednesday, Mr Muhyiddin added. 

“The motion will be discussed at the Cabinet meeting tomorrow and it is hoped that it will solve the polemics on the revocation of the emergency ordinances in a harmonious and constitutional way,” he said.

The prime minister said according to the Federal Constitution, the expiry of the state of emergency on Aug 1 has made the revocation of the emergency ordinances by the king academic.

"With the end of the state of emergency on Aug 1, 2021, based on the provision of the Federal Constitution, revocation of the emergency ordinances by the king does not arise," he said. 

Malaysia was placed under a state of emergency from Jan 12 to Aug 1 to curb the spread of COVID-19. 

five-day special parliamentary meeting that began last Monday was supposed to allow the Malaysian government to brief lawmakers about its COVID-19 response and pave the way for an eventual hybrid parliament sitting.

But the proceedings were overshadowed by revoking of the emergency ordinances.

On Jul 26, de facto law minister Takiyuddin Hassan said the emergency ordinances introduced during the state of emergency had already been revoked on Jul 21, after opposition politicians demanded that the cancellation go through the Lower House.  

READ: Explainer - Different interpretations over the Malaysian king's role in revoking emergency ordinances

In response, the palace released a statement indicating that the king did not consent to the decision. The initial agreement was to table and debate the cancellation of the ordinances at the ongoing special parliament meeting, according to the statement. 

"His Majesty stressed that the minister's statement in the parliament on Jul 26 is not accurate and has misled the MPs,” it said. 

The Prime Minister’s Office maintained on Jul 29 that its actions to cancel the ordinance are in accordance with the country’s laws and Constitution.

Mr Takiyuddin had promised to address concerns over the revocation on Aug 2 - the last day of the special parliament meeting - but the meeting was postponed following the detection of COVID-19 cases in the House.  

BOOKMARK THIS: Our comprehensive coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic and its developments

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