[ENGLISH VERSION BELOW] Gabungan Pilihan Raya Bersih dan Adil (Bersih 2.0) terkejut dengan tiupan khabar angin bahawa darurat akan diisytiharkan oleh beberapa portal berita dan media arus perdana yang memetik kenyataan daripada sumber tidak bernama bahawa hal ini telah diputuskan dalam mesyuarat khas kabinet pada hari ini.
Akhbar The Star melaporkan bahawa langkah ini adalah untuk melawan pandemik Covid-19 yang sedang meningkat dengan ketara dalam satu minggu ini dan untuk menghentikan pergelutan politik.1
Sekiranya sasaran langkah ini adalah untuk menangani situasi Covid-19, ianya adalah satu langkah yang berlebihan dan tidak diperlukan serta menjadi duluan yang bahaya kepada demokrasi negara kita.
Adalah fakta bahawa kerajaan Perikatan Nasional Muhyiddin Yassin hanya mempunyai majoriti dua atau tiga ahli parlimen sahaja, dan dengan langkah terbaharu oleh ketua pembangkang Anwar Ibrahim untuk mengambil alih kerajaan, adalah munasabah untuk beranggapan bahawa tujuan utama untuk menasihati Agong mengisytiharkan darurat di seluruh negara adalah disebabkan oleh faktor politik.
Sekiranya perintah darurat melibatkan penggantungan Parlimen dan kebebasan awam, maka ianya adalah sama seperti rampasan kuasa sendiri oleh kerajaan Muhyiddin untuk kekal berkuasa.
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Perintah darurat membenarkan kerajaan lantikan Agong untuk membuat ordinan yang akan mempunyai kuasa dan kesan yang sama seperti akta oleh Parlimen, dan ianya akan berkuatkuasa sepenuhnya sehinggalah ianya ditarik balik atau dibatalkan, serta ordinan tersebut tidak boleh dicabar di mahkamah.
Darurat juga akan memberikan kerajaan persekutuan kuasa untuk melanggar bidang kuasa kerajaan negeri.
Kali terakhir perintah darurat seluruh negara diisytiharkan pada tahun 1969 disebabkan oleh peristiwa 13 Mei ketika itu. Selain kerumitan yang akan timbul terhadap semak dan imbang yang demokratik dalam negara kita, ekonomi negara juga akan turut terjejas dengan teruk.
Sekiranya tujuan darurat adalah untuk melawan Covid-19, perintah kawalan pergerakan yang bersasar seperti yang sedang dilaksanakan sekarang adalah mencukupi.
Akta 342 atau Akta Pencegahan dan Kawalan Penyakit Berjangkit 1988 mempunyai peruntukan yang mencukupi bagi menyediakan langkah-langkah pencegahan penyebaran Covid-19 termasuklah kuasa untuk membuat peraturan, kawalan pergerakan orang ramai dan menggerakkan pasukan bersenjata sebagaimana yang telah kita lihat sebelum ini.
Bersih 2.0 ingin memohon kepada semua ahli politik untuk mengenepikan sebarang perbezaan dan bekerjasama dengan persetujuan ‘keyakinan dan perbekalan’. Ini bermaksud pembangkang akan bersetuju untuk tidak menentang kerajaan PN dalam undi percaya atau berkenaan isu perbekalan namun masih mengekalkan hak untuk membangkang rang undang-undang yang lain.
Ini bagi memastikan bahawa bantuan belanjawan Covid-19 yang akan dibentangkan pada bulan hadapan akan diluluskan dan mengekalkan kestabilan dalam Parlimen.
Jawatankuasa pemandu Bersih 2.0
22 October 2020
English version
Adakah Muhyiddin membuat rampasan kuasa sendiri untuk kekal berkuasa?
The Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih 2.0) is alarmed that rumours are rife that a state of emergency will be declared with several news portals and mainstream media quoting unnamed sources that this was decided in a special cabinet meeting today.
The Star reported that the move is to step up the fight against the coronavirus pandemic that has spiked sharply over the past one week, as well as to put a stop to political squabbles.
If the aim is to deal with the Covid-19 situation, such a move is overkill, unnecessary and sets a dangerous precedent for democracy in this country.
In view of the Perikatan Nasional government of Muhyiddin Yassin having a slim majority of two or three MPs, and the recent move by the opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim to take over the government, it would be reasonable to suspect that the real purpose of advising the Agong to declare a national state of emergency is politics.
If the state of emergency involves the suspension of Parliament and civil liberties, then it would be tantamount to a self-coup by the Muhyiddin government to stay in power.
A state of emergency allows for the Agong-appointed government to make ordinances that will have the same force and effect as an Act of Parliament, and it shall continue in full force and effect as if it is an Act of Parliament until it is revoked or annulled, and they cannot be challenged in the courts. This also gives the federal government power to overrule state governments.
The last time a nation-wide state of emergency was announced was during the May 13 riot in 1969. Besides the ramifications on our country’s democratic checks and balances, there will also be serious consequences for the economy.
If the purpose of the emergency is to combat Covid-19, a targeted or enhanced movement control order like what we had would be sufficient. Act 342, otherwise known as the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988, has sufficient provisions for measures to curb the spread of Covid-19 including the power to make regulations, control the movement of people and move armed forces, as we have seen thus far.
Bersih 2.0 would like to appeal to the politicians to put aside their differences and work together with a ‘confidence and supply’ agreement. This would mean the opposition would agree not to vote against PN government in votes of confidence or budgetary matters while reserving the right to oppose other legislation. This would ensure the Covid-19 relief budget scheduled to be tabled next month will go through and preserve stability in Parliament.
Bersih 2.0 steering committee
AGENDA RAKYAT - Lima perkara utama
- Tegakkan maruah serta kualiti kehidupan rakyat
- Galakkan pembangunan saksama, lestari serta tangani krisis alam sekitar
- Raikan kerencaman dan keterangkuman
- Selamatkan demokrasi dan angkatkan keluhuran undang-undang
- Lawan rasuah dan kronisme
Is this similar to when the then PM declared UMNO illegal and created UMNO BARU?
Will it not be more financially beneficially to the country if Parliament is dissolved and Emergency declared as all the YB electees/appointees may not have to be paid their high remuneration packages/perks/offices/assistants/et the total cost of which may be estimated to be hundreds of millions RM annually?
Has the country not continued to function since March 2020 when Covid19 first infected the country with most of the YB electees/appointees perceived to be not functioning yet continuing to enjoy their luxurious lifestyles at taxpayers cost?
Bless all
The suggestion that the opposition should agree not to vote against the budgetary bills is untenable. Keep in mind that this is a backdoor government and has avoided vote of no confidence all along. It’s a illegitimate government for the people never voted for Muhyiddin to be the PM. Instead of asking Muhyiddin to resign honourably or accede to vote of confidence in parliament it’s disappointing to see Bersih tacitly approving what Muhyiddin is doing. If we go along with what he does now for sure the abuse of power will continue with no end in sight. The whole nation should rise up to stop this man. If not we may end up with dictatorship. Is that what we want?
What Bersih is proposing tantamount to the opposition submit to the threat of a self-coup by Muhyiddin?
Well, I suppose it is still better than a state of emergency that will give him unfettered powers?
So, Anwar it’s between the rock & deep blue sea!
Sigh…heavy is the head that wears the crown – in this case, Anwar has not even received the crown!!