NIBONG TEBAL – All state governments should be consulted if the Prime Minister wishes to declare a state of emergency, said Penang Chief Minister, Chow Kon Yeow.
He expressed frustration at the fact that there was no consultation or any form of information from the federal government leading up to Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong yesterday.
“There are concerns among political parties, media organisations, the Bar Council and the civil society.
“I can’t comment (more), as we have to wait for an official announcement by the federal government on the matter,” said Chow, after officiating the groundbreaking ceremony for an affordable housing project at Taman Kalidonia here today.
Chow added, the state is picking itself up after the Covid-19 enforced economic downturn, and that such an announcement from the federal government could affect those efforts, and also the livelihood of the people.
Meanwhile, Penang PKR vice-chairman Jason Ong Khan Lee said that the people can clearly see that Muhyiddin was just trying to protect his shaky Perikatan Nasional (PN) government, rather than protecting the country from the Covid-19 pandemic.
“An emergency rule (if declared) brings uncertainty and once declared, it will take time for democracy to be reinstated.
“In the eyes of the outside world, we may digress into a failed nation. We may suffer more from Covid-19 too, as without a functional economy, the people suffer economically,” he said. – The Vibes, October 24, 2020
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