Following the King’s decree yesterday, that the Emergency Proclamation does not prohibit the convening of Parliament or negate its constitutional functions and power, Dewan Rakyat speaker Azhar Azizan Harun must immediately meet Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to set an early date for Parliament to be in session.
As the Speaker of Parliament Azhar should be upholding, defending and preservingthe sovereignty, supremacy and singular powers of Parliament by restoring its functions and responsibilities as set out in the Federal Constitution. Unfortunately Azhar has failed to perform his rightful role by permitting the Executive to supersede and surpass the supremacy of Parliament in condoning instead of condemning the suspension of Parliament.
Instead, the King has shown a keener awareness than Azhar of the importance of Parliament and respect the electoral mandate of the rakyat. Azhar should not sit back, twiddle his thumbs and await for developments or direction from the Prime Minister, who naturally would want to delay any parliamentary session. Azhar should atone for his past failures and redeem his previous inertia or inaction by seeking an early Parliamentary session to restore democracy and people’s power.
Since Azhar himself was granted a special audience with the King on this matter, he should treat the matter of convening an early session of Parliament as one of utmost priority. PH leaders will also seek an early meeting with Azhar to convey the urgency of restoring Parliamentary democracy so that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not vanish under PN government.