KUALA LUMPUR – The high court here has set February 17 to hear the submission on the leave application for judicial review filed by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim regarding the suspension of parliamentary sessions during the emergency period.
Anwar filed the application on January 25 to initiate a judicial review against Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and the government for advising Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah to suspend Parliament while the emergency is in place.
Senior federal counsel Ahmad Hanir Hambaly said judge Datuk Seri Mariana Yahya has ordered parties in the case to submit on the matter in proceedings to be held via the Zoom application at 2.30pm.
Sangeet Kaur Deo, who represented Anwar along with Ramkarpal Singh, said the court also requested parties to submit on the question whether Anwar’s application to refer questions to the Federal Court ought to be heard first before the application for leave.
In the application, Anwar named Muhyiddin and the government as the first and second respondents, respectively.
The Port Dickson MP is seeking a court declaration that the decision by the cabinet, led by Muhyiddin, to advise the king to enact Section 14 of the Emergency (Essential Powers) Ordinance 2021, which resulted in the suspension of Parliament, is unconstitutional and unlawful.
He also seeks a declaration that Section 14 of the emergency ordinance is inconsistent with Article 150 (3) and (5) of the federal constitution and, therefore, is unconstitutional and invalid, apart from applying for a mandamus order for both respondents to advise the king to repeal the section.
He has filed an application to refer several questions to the Federal Court pertaining to his judicial review over the government’s decision in advising the king to declare an emergency. – Bernama, February 10, 2021
