Senator Alan Ling
MIRI (June 18): The decree by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong that Parliament reconvene as soon as possible is a ‘clear and loud’ message to Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government, said Senator Alan Ling.
Ling, who is both Pakatan Harapan Sarawak and Democratic Action Party Sarawak secretary, noted that the King’s decree came after Muhyiddin, when announcing the National Recovery Plan a day earlier, expressed his commitment to reconvene Parliament in September or October.
“The September or October sitting as suggested by the prime minister is too far down the road; the ideal time is to issue the notice this month to allow Parliament to sit in July.
“The prime minister has to heed to the King’s decree – the message is clear and loud,” Ling said in a statement yesterday.
Ling also believed the decree should also apply to the Dewan Negara which, like the Dewan Rakyat, has not met since the Emergency came into force.
He added that failure to heed the Agong’s recommendation could cause the prime minister and the PN administration to lose credibility in leading the country.
At the same time, he said Muhyiddin could face growing pressure to resign if he failed to reconvene Parliament as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) released a statement yesterday, saying the government took note of the Agong’s decree as per the statement issued by Istana Negara on Wednesday.
The PMO statement said in accordance with the King’s decree, the government will take follow-up measures in accordance with the Federal Constitution.