KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 3 ― Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin said she saw no mistake made by de facto Law Minister Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan’s remarks on the revocation of the Emergency Ordinances.
During the Astro Awani’s Consider This talk show last night, Zuraida backed Takiyuddin’s announcement in the Parliament last week, saying that the latter was describing the Cabinet’s decision on the revocation.
“If you listen to him carefully, he said nothing wrong with regards to the ordinances. He said the Cabinet had revoked the ordinances on July 21; that was the Cabinet’s decision.
“So, there is nothing wrong with that,” she said, referring to Takiyuddin.
After being asked to comment on Istana Negara’s statement reprimanding Takiyuddin, she expressed her frustration towards the monarchs ― saying it could have been done privately instead.
“It is a constitutional monarchy, where you have to get the advice from the Cabinet and prime minister in anything that you want to do.
“I was a bit upset. If there is anything that was not clear, [the palace] should call the prime minister,” she said, adding that the prime minister has been briefing the King on the matter.
In last week’s first Parliamentary meeting in months, Takiyuddin stated that the Cabinet had revoked all the Emergency Ordinances on July 21, sending the lower house into an uproar.
Three days later, Istana Negara released a statement from Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, in which he said he had not given the royal assent that was constitutionally required to revoke the EOs.
Parliament was forced to adjourn after the statement was read out loud by Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Later that day, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) issued a statement saying that Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and de facto Law Minister Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan had observed and followed all the due processes under the Federal Constitution when announcing the revocation of the EOs on Monday.
It added that Muhyiddin had written a letter to the Agong on July 23 advising the ruler to revoke the EOs, and again in an audience on July 27.
It pointed to Articles 40(1) and 40(1A) of the Constitution stating that the Agong, while exercising his constitutional functions or functions under federal law, is to accept and act in accordance with the Cabinet’s advice or the advice of a minister acting under the general authority of Cabinet, except otherwise provided by the Federal Constitution.
The PMO said that on July 24, the King had summoned Takiyuddin and Attorney General Tan Sri Idrus Harun to provide a detailed explanation with regards to the Cabinet’s advice, adding that on July 26, all of the EOs were laid in the Dewan Rakyat, in line with Article 150(3) of the Federal Constitution.
