Umno info chief says investors will shy away from investing as long as democracy is not restored, thus prolonging economic downturn

by AFIQ AZIZ / pic by MUHD AMIN NAHARUL

UMNO urged for the Parliament session to reconvene during the Emergency as the delay will only hurt the economy further, said the party’s information chief Shahril Sufian Hamdan.

In a statement yesterday, Shahril said as long as the democracy is not restored through the Parliament sitting, investors will shy away from investing in the country, thus prolonging the economic downturn.

This is due to lack of check and balance processes that can help the federal administration to decide and make better policies for the nation, he said.

“There is a suggestion that elections would be held as a way out of this political turmoil. But even that cannot happen as long as Parliament is not in session and Emergency is in force.

“So, one of the main decisions of the (Supreme Council) meeting was urging for the Parliament and the state assemblies to be opened first, so that democracy can be restored.

“Umno believes that as long as parliamentary democracy is disrupted and the principle of accountability is set aside (through Parliament), investors will continue to shy away from us and the economy will continuously be sluggish, as a result of ill-managed policy-making,” Shahril said.

At the Supreme Council meeting on Sunday, Umno secretary general Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan said the party’s proposal for both Parliament and state assemblies to reconvene is in line with the statement of Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, who expressed his view that the Parliament could convene during an emergency.

The Emergency was declared on Jan 12, 2020, after the King agreed to the proclamation proposed by the Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassion, who said it will only be used to curb and manage the spread of Covid-19.

However, the proclamation was made in the middle of another political crisis whereby several Umno lawmakers were speculated to abandon the Muhyiddin-led government.

At the Umno General Assembly in March, the Malay-based party decided to sever ties with Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia in the next general election (GE), but it will remain in the ruling bloc until the Parliament is dissolved.

“In the meeting (on Sunday), the Supreme Council upheld the General Assembly’s decision. The priority is still to return the mandate of the people through the GE when the Covid-19 crisis is under control.

“But this process was interrupted as the Parliament (remains) closed and the Emergency became the obstacle to the check and balance process,” Shahril said, citing the example of how the executive can bypass the lower house to use public money during the Emergency.

Health authorities indicated that there will be a fourth wave of Covid-19 cases with the transmission rate now higher than when the Emergency was proclaimed.

Critics have accused the government of using the Emergency to remain in power. Last week, the Opposition submitted a memorandum through a committee called End the State of Emergency, claimed to be signed by over 40,000 Malaysians, to the Palace.

In a statement following the submission, the committee chairman Shah Alam MP Khalid Abdul Samad said the King has agreed to meet the group and the Palace will facilitate the date for the meeting to take place.