Hishammuddin pleads for political ‘stability’ to pave way for Parliament’s reopening

KUALA LUMPUR, June 16 — Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein proposed that Malaysia’s political leaders commit to “stability” in the government as a condition to reopen Parliament that has been suspended since the start of the Emergency.

Acknowledging the growing call for the government to reconvene Parliament, the Umno leader noted that some of these couched hidden agendas, such as the desire to “satisfy the yearning for political power of certain individuals.”

Although he did not name any individuals, he insinuated Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to be one.

Hishammuddin said federal lawmakers must commit to only using the proposed parliamentary meeting to address Malaysia’s Covid-19 situation, which he said has placed the country in an unprecedented crisis.

“Taking my points into consideration, one condition stands out which is the fact that we require stability. This stability may allow Parliament to re-open. This same stability may also give members of parliament the right to ask questions, and the government to answer during Parliamentary sessions. 

“But the most pertinent point is that this stability must not be hijacked,” he said when stating his provisional support for reopening Parliament.

Hishammuddin acknowledged that his proposed truce would be temporary but said it need not last any longer than the pandemic.

A shift in the country’s political landscape could jeopardise plans to guide Malaysia and its economy out of the pandemic when there was no time to spare, he said.

The worsening Covid-19 situation has put added pressure on the government to both reconvene Parliament and commit to ending the Emergency as scheduled on August 1.

Since last week, Yang diPertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah has been polling the leaders of Malaysia’s main political parties on the Covid-19 situation and the Emergency.

This has culminated in a special meeting of the Conference of Rulers today.

This morning, Umno’s Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah said the onus was now on the Rulers to select the “right person” to guide Malaysia out of its current crises as Parliament was unable to perform this constitutional duty at the moment.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced a four-phase National Recovery Plan that provided for Parliament to reconvene in September at the earliest.