Threat to human rights, no majority in Parliament: Umno men chide Muhyiddin’s Emergency announcement

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 12 — Several Umno politicians have criticised Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin after his announcement of the state of Emergency until August 1, purportedly to help tackle the Covid-19 pandemic.

In a report by Malaysiakini, Umno supreme council member Datuk Mohd Razlan Muhammad Rafii described Muhyiddin’s stern warning against those opposing the Emergency declaration as a loss for freedom of speech and human rights.

“When the warning was given, I believe when a person speaks things that he feels will look too subjective or they feel the government is threatened, [the government] can arrest [the person]. They can be caught even by tomorrow,” he was quoted saying.

”This is the fear of emergency that all the people are worried about. It’s like our mouths are locked, we cannot say anything including on social media today and if any of our friends [and] Malaysians raise this issue, the prime minister can arrest anyone with his power or on those who raise this matter.”

Mohd Razlan also said that the decision to declare a state of Emergency would have an economic impact on the country.

”Although we can solve the Covid-19 issue, we do not know what the implications of foreign countries will have on Malaysia from an economic and administrative point of view.

 ”As well as the [views] of foreign countries once they evaluate [Article 150 in the Federal Constitution], they will not look at health matters.

 ”Instead, they will look at the power given to the Muhyiddin’s government. Can it give an advantage to any state in these eight months?” he asked.

Muhyiddin today issued a stern warning in his televised live speech against anyone deemed opposing the government’s Covid-19 fight through the Emergency.

Meanwhile, former Umno supreme council member Datuk Lokman Noor Adam also urged for an interim prime minister during this Emergency period, claiming Muhyiddin does not command the majority support in the Dewan Rakyat.

“I propose, to preserve [Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s] good name, it will be more appropriate if his royal highness chooses an interim prime minister to lead during the emergency so as not to cause negative perceptions that the Emergency was declared to save Muhyiddin who had lost his majority in Parliament,” he said in a statement on Facebook.

Lokman said Umno’s Gua Musang MP Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah and Machang MP Jalzan Yaacob’s decision to renounce Muhyiddin meant he had lost the legitimacy to remain prime minister.

Umno’s Padang Rengas MP Datuk Nazri Aziz today also announced his withdrawal of support for Muhyiddin as prime minister.

Nazri earlier lashed out at Muhyiddin for invoking a state of Emergency to remain in power when he no longer commands the majority in the Dewan Rakyat.