Anwar encourages Malaysian MPs to write to the king seeking to revoke the proclamation of emergency

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has called on Members of Parliament (MPs) to write to the king and plead for the emergency proclamation to be withdrawn and for the parliament to be convened as soon as possible.

Mr Anwar said in a statement dated January 14 (Thursday) that Parliament should reconvene before January 31 to address the state of emergency, COVID-19, as well as the ongoing economic crisis in Malaysia.

“He wrote in an accompanying memo to the MPs: “I recommended that the honourable MPs file their appeals quickly before Friday. I have prepared a draft letter to be sent to His Majesty that can be amended depending on your consideration or that of the party.

King Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah of Malaysia announced a state of emergency across the nation on Tuesday to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Depending on the condition of coronavirus infections, the emergency will last until Aug 1 or earlier, a palace statement said.

“Parliament will not sit until a time determined by the king. Throughout the duration of the state of emergency, no general election, state election or by-election will be held,” said Mr Muhyiddin later on the same day in a live address.

“Parliament will not sit until a time determined by the king. Throughout the duration of the state of emergency, no general election, state election or by-election will be held,” said Mr Muhyiddin later on the same day in a live address.

Mr Anwar, who is Port Dickson MP and Parti Keadilan Rakyat president, claimed in his memo to fellow MPs that the current provisions were adequate to stop the spread of COVID-19, including the order for movement control (MCO) and conditional MCOO (CMCO).

He said that an emergency would not be necessary.

“As unemployment, poverty, and gaps increase, the economic crisis is very worrying. An emergency will surely make the state of the economy more dangerous,” he noted.