KUALA LUMPUR – Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has stressed again that the emergency declaration was an appropriate move in response to a major health crisis, and not due to politics.
The prime minister said the emergency was not to enable him to hold on to his position at the head of the government, but to ensure effective and swift management of Covid-19.
He assured that the emergency would be lifted as soon as possible, saying he hopes conditions are there for it to be lifted earlier than its scheduled end on August 1.
“...if we can settle it early (and) the Independent Special Committee that was set up says it can be done (lifted), I will just follow…we also do not want to be restricted by such a regulation forever,” said Muhyiddin in a special interview with Bernama and several other media organisations at his residence in Bukit Damansara here in conjunction with his first anniversary as prime minister.
Muhyiddin said via the emergency ordinance, the government can propose amendments to certain acts or enact new regulations without having to go through Parliament.
“So, I would like to say that this does not mean the emergency is to enable me to hold the prime minister’s post for a long time. I also do not know which party now has more seats than me; previously there was an attempt to show (the numbers) but it was not proven.
“I am confident that I have (the) support. I am convinced that my position is constitutionally right. Legal. I cannot sit as an illegitimate prime minister. That’s because I do my work properly. So, I’m not worried about that.
“But the declaration of an emergency was not a question of politics; some politicians view it as political, (but) no. Politics should not be used for emergency, but this (pandemic) requires an emergency.…so, I hope the people understand; it was not due to fear of not getting a majority in Parliament,” he added.
The prime minister said the 15th general election would be held at a suitable time because the priority now is to overcome the Covid-19 threat, which has infected almost 300,000 people and claimed more than 1,000 lives in the country.
“…the important thing is we settle this (Covid-19) first. When we are done with it, I don’t want to wait even a day (to hold elections)…we are not worried at all...,” he said.
The first Covid-19 case was reported in Malaysia on Jan 25 last year, with the first wave involving imported cases, while the second wave struck at the end of February the same year.
There was a spike in Covid-19 cases which led to a third wave of infections after the Sabah state election in September last year.
After the daily positive cases surged from double digits into the thousands, the prime minister advised the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to declare an emergency. On January 12, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah declared a state of emergency, which will be in force tentatively until August 1.
Al-Sultan Abdullah also consented to the government’s proposal to set up the Independent Special Committee to advise him accordingly if the emergency can be ended earlier. The committee comprises government and opposition MPs, as well as health experts. – Bernama, February 28, 2021
