Emergency ordinances should be debated in Dewan, says academic

The emergency ordinances declared upon the consent of Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah should be tabled and debated in the Dewan Rakyat as long as His Majesty has not consented to their revocation, an academic says.

Incumbent of the Malay Rulers Chair at Universiti Teknologi Mara, Shamrahayu Abdul Aziz, said this was enshrined in Article 150, Clause 3 of the Federal Constitution.

“If the king has not consented for the ordinances to be revoked, they can be scrutinised when Parliament convenes and the best way is to debate the matter, which I feel will be able to resolve the predicament faced now.

“Besides that, a debate will also mean democracy is enriched, and if the legal provisions are followed, it will show more transparency on the part of the government,” she said on the Ruang Bicara programme last night.

Shamrahayu said Parliament still needs to scrutinise and debate matters concerning the emergency ordinances despite them being scheduled to expire on Aug 1.

If this is not done, she said Article 150, Clause 7 allows the emergency ordinances to continue for another six months after the expiry date.

Meanwhile, Shamrahayu said the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s reproach through a statement issued by Istana Negara should be taken as a lesson for all parties that the principle of constitutional monarchy is now taking on a new dimension.

She said developments of late have shown that the king is seen as able to advise, warn and voice out views to the government.

In Istana Negara’s statement, Sultan Abdullah expressed the utmost disappointment with the statement made in Parliament on Monday that the government had revoked all emergency ordinances under the ongoing emergency without His Majesty’s consent.

Sultan Abdullah also said he was also very disappointed that his decree to Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Takiyuddin Hassan and Attorney-General Idrus Harun for the proposed revocation of the ordinances to be tabled and debated in Parliament had not been carried out.