PETALING JAYA: Barisan Nasional never came to a consensus to ask for an appeal to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah to order Parliament to convene as soon as possible, say the MCA and MIC presidents.
MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong and MIC president Tan Sri M. Vigneswaran said although the matter was brought up at the Barisan meeting on Wednesday (March 4), the argument was more to oppose a Parliament sitting during the state of emergency in line with what the King had decreed.
Dr Wee said that the matter was discussed during the Barisan meeting but there was never a consensus to support an appeal to the King to order a Parliament sitting during the state of emergency.
"In fact, I presented the case that we support the decree made by the King that he will act on the matter (order a Parliament sitting) upon the advice of Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
"I also stated that there is already the Emergency (Essential Powers) Ordinance 2021 which we must abide by," Dr Wee said when contacted on Friday (March 5).
Vigneswaran said that the only consensus on the matter was there will be no statement from Barisan made with regard to the appeal to the King to order a Parliament sitting as soon as possible.
"The King has decreed and we will not put undue pressure on His Majesty by further discussion on the matter," said Vigneswaran.
On Thursday (March 4), Ahmad Zahid issued a statement as Barisan chairman that the coalition will make an appeal to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to order a Parliament sitting to be held as soon as possible for lawmakers to debate on several crucial matters.
"Barisan proposed that Dewan Rakyat members appeal to the Prime Minister and Cabinet to respect the decree made by the King that Parliament should be reconvened immediately, considering that the movement control order had been eased," he said in the statement.
On Feb 25, Comptroller of the Royal Household of Istana Negara Datuk Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin said the King was of the view that Parliament could be convened on a date deemed appropriate by His Majesty, upon the advice of the Prime Minister.
