UPKO URGES PM TO SEEK POLITICAL SOLUTION AMONG PARTIES TO REPLACE EMERGENCY

From left: Donald, Madius, and Ewon.

18 Feb 2021

By Wartawan Nabalu News

KOTA KINABALU: The United Progressive Kinabalu Organization (UPKO) today urged Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to seek political solution among parties to replace the Emergency as the basis for the survival of the federal government led by him.

In an open letter to the Prime Minister from UPKO President (Tuaran MP) Datuk Wilfred Madius Tangau, deputy president Senator Datuk Donald Mojuntin, and Vice President (Kadamaian Assemblyman) Datuk Ewon Benedick, they said there was no reasonable justification for continuing the Emergency order following the termination of the Movement Control Order (MCO).

According to them, existing laws, including MCO and Conditional MCO (MCO), are already sufficient to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic.

"The Emergency (Essential Powers) Ordinance 2021 gazetted on Jan 14 gives the excuse for the declaration of Emergency as 'a major emergency in progress that threatens security, economic life and public order in the Federation following the outbreak of the infectious disease, namely Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19)'.

"If the Emergency continues after the end of MCO 2.0, it must be given a justification based on evidence by the Independent Special Committee headed by former chief judge Arifin Zakaria, who was appointed by the Government on Feb 9," they stated.

Through the open later, they said a democratic and sustainable solution is a political ceasefire between the government and the opposition through a Confidence and Supply Agreement (CSA), which will allow the Government to rule without fear of being overthrown.

The three UPKO leaders mentioned that if agreed, the political truce can be implemented until June 16, 2023, which is the date the Parliament will be dissolved automatically, so that the Prime Minister can focus on pandemic and economic management during the 14th term of Parliament.

Meanwhile, Ewon said the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act was sufficient to address the Covid-19 pandemic and did not require an Emergency declaration.

"We have been dealing with the pandemic for over a year and during this period we have implemented the MCO, I think the act is enough to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic and there is no need for an emergency," he said.