KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 18 — Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) Information Chief Wan Saiful Wan Jan has disputed today DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng’s conditions to join the independent committee to advise the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on Emergency matters.
He said the Agong is not “a rubber stamp” for Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, and lambasted Lim for accepting the King’s decision rather than “acting arrogant” by setting his own conditions.
“DAP needs to remember that the job of the Independent Committee is to make recommendations to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. The one who will make the decision is the Agong, not Muhyiddin.
“Do not insult the Agong as if he can be used as a ‘rubber stamp’ by anyone. This is the highest institution in the country,” he said in a statement.
The National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) chairman then used a Malay proverb to describe Lim: “diberi betis hendak peha”, which holds similar meaning as “give them an inch, they will take a mile”.
Yesterday, Lim said his party would consider working with the Independent Committee to advise the Agong on Emergency matters if the Opposition were to be given equal weight in setting its direction.
This entails having more Opposition lawmakers and experts as its members and a council “generally more independent”, the former minister said as he urged Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to guarantee that any cooperation will be sincere and genuine.
However, he cautioned Muhyiddin against exploiting the Opposition’s goodwill as a way to “legitimise” any unconstitutional decisions.
Pakatan Harapan has been critical of the decision to enforce Emergency rule, dismissing Muhyiddin’s justification to seek the Agong’s consent for the Proclamation of Emergency as a ploy to stay in power.
The pact’s chief Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has also announced that they are seeking a legal route to dispute the Emergency Proclamation announced last week, with Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad expected to follow suit.
