Ministers leave PMO after 3-hour special meet

PUTRAJAYA – Ministers and high-profile officials have left the Prime Minister’s Office here after a three-hour special cabinet meeting.

However, none of them spoke to journalists camped outside the front gates of the Perdana Putra building.

Cabinet members were seen entering the building’s compound from 9am, a half-hour before the meeting was due to begin.

Political observers have speculated that the talks were on a possible cabinet reshuffle and Budget 2021, which is slated to be tabled next month.

Rumours of a reshuffle came hot on the heels of Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s announcement of a “political ceasefire” within his own party, as well as other political outfits.

He is said to have come under fire from Umno division chiefs and grassroots leaders after stating it is all right for the party’s MPs to back PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s bid to oust Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

And, there are Umno warlords upset at Muhyiddin’s move to sideline the party in favour of leaders from his own Bersatu for government posts.

Among those spotted leaving Perdana Putra are Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rina Harun, Agriculture and Food Industries Minister Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong, Attorney-General Tan Sri Idrus Harun and Defence Forces chief General Tan Sri Affendi Buang.

There has also been talk of a state of emergency being declared, with various media outlets reporting on the possibility ahead of this morning’s cabinet meeting.

Bernama ran an opinion piece by Shamrahayu Aziz, a UiTM constitutional law expert, explaining the Emergency Act 1964, the related processes, and the impact of such a declaration on the country.

According to Article 150(1) of the federal constitution on the proclamation of an emergency: “If the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is satisfied that a grave emergency exists, whereby the security, or the economic life, or public order in the Federation or any part thereof, is threatened, he may issue a Proclamation of Emergency, making therein a declaration to that effect.” – The Vibes, October 23, 2020