KUALA LUMPUR: The Pakatan Harapan (PH) Presidential Council has condemned the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) for its statement yesterday, which according to them amounted to attempting the impossible (menegakkan benang yang basah).
In a joint statement that was signed by PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Parti Amanah Negara president Mohamad Sabu and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, the trio said the move was a betrayal to the constitutional monarchy by disputing the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah's decree.
They said the problem lies with the statement by de facto Law Minister Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan in Dewan Rakyat on July 26, who had revealed that all the Emergency Ordinances were revoked on July 21.
"However, Istana Negara, in a statement yesterday, clearly stated that the King had not consented to the cancellation, therefore Takiyuddin had misled the MPs.
"As such, the counter-statement by PMO yesterday was arrogant and rude towards the Head of State (the King), as well as in violation of the Federal Constitution and the parliamentary democracy.
"It is to note that the government has lost its good relations and is no longer loyal to the King," they said.
The three PH leaders claimed that the Perikatan National government has also lost its legitimacy due to the loss of the support of the majority of MPs, as well as their credibility as leaders when the prime minister and ministers failed to uphold the King's order for the Emergency Ordinances to be debated and decided in Parliament, along with a misleading statement by Takiyuddin.
"The Attorney-General (Tan Sri Idris Harun) has also failed to carry out his official duty to provide legal advice to the King neutrally and independently without favouring Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin."
They add that during this special Parliament sitting, Dewan Rakyat speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun has also defended the PN government by not allowing debate on Emergency Ordinance.
"Even more disappointing, when he used various excuses and tricks to avoid this matter from being discussed and adjourned the session four times.
"This includes because all those in Parliament have to undergo the Covid-19 screening test, despite no Parliamentary cluster."
They said no other action should be taken by Muhyiddin, the Cabinet, the Dewan Rakyat speaker, and the Attorney-General but to resign for their grave wrongdoing with the revocation of the Emergency Ordinances, which was done in a hurry without being tabled in the Parliament and disregarded the King's decree as the Head of State as enshrined in the Federal Constitution.
"If this is what Muhyiddin and the PN government did to the King, what's more to the people."