PETALING JAYA: The government has appeared to back down in its standoff with the Palace over the revocation of the emergency ordinances (EOs), conceding that the process has not been finalised.
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In a statement, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said that with the emergency ending on Aug 1, the cancellation of the EOs by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong no longer arises.
Still, he said, the EOs will be brought to Parliament in September to be debated, in line with the King’s decree on the matter.
“This motion will be discussed in the Cabinet meeting tomorrow and it is hoped it will resolve the polemic surrounding the revocation of the EOs harmoniously and constitutionally.”
Ties between the Muhyiddin administration and the Palace have been strained since it was revealed that the King did not consent to the revocation of the EOs despite law minister Takiyuddin Hassan announcing in Parliament that emergency laws were revoked on July 21.
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This led to questions from MPs on whether the King had given his consent, a query which Takiyuddin refused to answer citing the Dewan Rakyat speaker’s ruling for him to explain the matter on Aug 2.
However, following a revelation that the matter had not received consent, the Dewan Rakyat erupted in chaos, with calls for Muhyiddin, Takiyuddin and speaker Azhar Harun to resign.
Dewan Rakyat sittings were subsequently suspended, and while the Prime Minister’s Office initially defended its conduct, it now appears to have given into calls for the revocation of the EOs to be debated.
Meanwhile, Muhyiddin’s position appears to be safe, at least until the Parliament sitting in September.-FMT