PKR MP, others explore legal options to contest Emergency

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 12 — Selayang MP William Leong said he and a group of concerned lawyers and citizens were exploring avenues to legally dispute the Proclamation of Emergency issued today.

The PKR lawmaker said they were studying the declaration and will announce further details once they were ready to launch their action.

However, he stressed that the move was not a challenge of the Yang diPertuan Agong’s authority to issue the proclamation, but rather the advice upon which he acted when doing so.

“We are looking to see who gave bad advice to the Agong in making the Emergency Proclamation.

“The Covid-19 pandemic did not fall into the requirements of Article 150(1) of the Federal Constitution which threatens the security, life of public danger,” he told Malay Mail today.

Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah has consented to a Proclamation of Emergency that will last until August 1, or until the current wave of Covid-19 subsides.

In a statement by Istana Negara, the Comptroller of the Royal Household Datuk Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin said the decision was made after Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s audience yesterday.

The Agong was also briefed by Chief Secretary Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali, Attorney General Tan Sri Idrus Harun, Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, Election Commission chairman Datuk Abdul Ghani Salleh, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador, and Chief of Armed Forces Tan Sri Affendi Buang.

The Conference of Rulers were also consulted over the decision.

The proclamation was issued under Article 150(1) of the Federal Constitution, which empowered the Agong to do so once he is “satisfied that a grave emergency exists whereby the security, or the economic life, or public order in the Federation or any part thereof is threatened”.

This morning, Muhyiddin said an emergency committee will be formed consisting of government and Opposition MPs and relevant health experts to determine if the Emergency will be ended early.

The proclamation came just a day after Putrajaya announced a new movement control order affecting six states for two weeks starting tomorrow.