IT’S a mockery of Parliament by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and ably supported by his cabinet members, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun and his deputies.
Postponing parliamentary sitting on Monday using the ruse of Covid-19 infections is childish.
And, blocking the road to Parliament, even for lawmakers, is an affront to justice and takes a whack at parliamentary democracy.
What is this government afraid of?
We all know that Muhyiddin is buying time because Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law) Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan cannot explain the revocation of the emergency ordinance and the rebuke from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong without attempting another wayang kulit.
The rakyat are not stupid.
They know the spin doctoring was to prevent lawmakers from voting on the emergency, which would clearly show that Muhyiddin only has a wafer-thin majority. That is, if at all.
We are seeing heightened opposition to Muhyiddin’s administration from students, activist, contract doctors and ordinary Malaysians.
And, we are also witnessing the government using the police as its tool to curb legitimate dissent.
But these protests won’t stop, because the people have had it and their patience have run out.
It’s embarrassing to hold on to power despite having been caught out, and especially when good governance is needed to mitigate the consequences of a raging pandemic.
The room for manoeuvring has shrunk rapidly for this government and someone ought to convey this to Muhyiddin.
The only thing left to do now is for the prime minister to step down, together with his cabinet, the Dewan Rakyat speaker and his deputies.
That is, if they have an ounce of shame. – The Vibes, August 2, 2021
Charles Santiago is Klang MP
