KUALA LUMPUR: Calls by various quarters for the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to set up a body with absolute power such as the National Operations Council (NOC) are not suitable to be implemented at the moment, according to the prime minister's principal private secretary.
Datuk Dr Marzuki Mohamad said the proposal was a backward step which could impede the government's plans and the efforts of civil servants, frontliners, industry players and the people to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and bring the country out of the current health and economic crisis.
"The prime minister (Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin), when announcing the implementation of Emergency 2021, has also stressed that the proclamation of Emergency by His Majesty does not mean the country has been placed under an administration with absolute authority like military rule.
"A civilian government is still functioning and the characteristics of this civilian government should be defended throughout the period of the Emergency," he said in a video on the management of the Emergency which was uploaded on Facebook.
He said the situation in the country now is totally different from that in 1969 when an emergency was declared after racial riots broke out, resulting in a loss of lives.
Marzuki said Malaysia has a functioning Cabinet to deal with the health emergency, which is not a security emergency.
"The Cabinet meets every Wednesday to discuss not only COVID-19 but also the country's administration, economic management, people's welfare, finance, security, education, international relations and other matters concerning the country," he said.
He added that the government is not only managing the pandemic but also the welfare and lives of the people by providing various types of assistance through the relevant ministries and agencies.
These include economic stimulus packages and financial aid, with the latest one being the PEMERKASA Plus package worth RM40 billion, which includes a RM5 billion fiscal injection.
"The delivery of the aid must be continued by the related ministries and agencies under this civilian administration without interruptions from any party which possesses absolute power," he said.
Marzuki said the government also has specific mechanisms to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic, including through the National Security Council Special Meeting on COVID-19 Management which convenes at least twice a week.
Besides that, the National Security Council Special Meeting on the Emergency meets at least once a week while there is the Special Committee for Ensuring Access to COVID-19 Vaccine Supply, which is responsible for planning and implementing the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme.
"We really hope the situation will return to normal. Once almost all people in the country have been vaccinated for us to achieve herd immunity, expected to be before the end of this year, Insya Allah (God-willing) all economic and social sectors will reopen. We will then be better protected against the COVID-19 infection.
"At that time, I believe we will be seeing a more vibrant political and democratic process. We will then be able to hold not only Parliament sittings but also elections.
"So, for now we focus on efforts to overcome the COVID-19 problem. With the ongoing vaccination process and the implementation of the Movement Control Order, I believe we need just a bit more time to get out of the crisis we are facing," he added.
-- BERNAMA
Bernama
Thu Jun 10 2021
MARZUKI: A civilian government is still functioning and the characteristics of this civilian government should be defended throughout the period of the Emergency. Filepic/Facebook
Penolong pegawai perubatan didenda RM3,000 terima rasuah urus jenazah
Seorang penolong pegawai perubatan di Hospital Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Temerloh didenda RM3,000 kerana menerima rasuah berkaitan kerja pengurusan jenazah.
KBS laksana kajian impak penganjuran Sukan SEA 2027
Mesyuarat mengenai perkara itu masih berjalan dengan penglibatan pelbagai pihak bagi mengenal pasti kelebihan dan kekurangan.
19 individu ditahan dipercayai terbabit sindiket pelaburan palsu
Mereka terdiri daripada lapan lelaki dan tujuh wanita tempatan serta empat lelaki warga asing berusia antara 16 hingga 38 tahun.
[TERKINI] Selamatkan Gaza: Dialog dua Perdana Menteri di Mesyuarat Khas WEF Arab Saudi
Tiga PM iaitu PM Palestin, Jordan dan Mesir serta wakil PBB di Gaza duduk sepentas berdialog secara langsung mencari formula menyelamatkan Gaza yang menjadi pusat graviti kepada kestabilan rantau Asia Barat.
OCC: Masih banyak usaha perlu dibuat dalam isu hak kanak-kanak - Azalina
Malaysia masih ketinggalan berbanding negara lain dalam menangani isu penderaan dan masalah sosial melibatkan kanak-kanak.
Piala Asia B-23: Indonesia tekad roboh benteng kebal Uzbekistan
Bintang skuad Garuda Muda, Witan Sulaeman, teruja dengan peluang untuk melakar lebih banyak sejarah ketika membuat persiapan menghadapi aksi separuh akhir PIala Asia B-23 malam ini.
Airbus RACER helikopter terpantas dunia?
Ketika masih dikenali sebagai pesawat eksperimen X3, ia memegang rekod sebagai helikopter terpantas dengan kelajuan mencecah 472 km/j.
AWANI Ringkas: Letupan bom di Thailand | Hadapi dua pertuduhan
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
Mesyuarat Khas WEF: Tekanan politik dalaman punca Israel ‘menggila’ - PM Jordan, Mesir
Kedua-dua perdana menteri negara Asia Barat itu setuju serangan ketenteraan di Rafah hanya akan memburukkan keadaan yang sudah sedia meruncing.
Tingkat kawalan di sempadan tangani kemasukan kambing, lembu murah menjelang Aidiladha
KPKM meminta jabatan dan agensi kerajaan berkaitan kawalan sempadan memperhebat penguatkuasaan serta kawalan di pintu masuk negara bagi menangani kemasukan kambing dan lembu murah menjelang Aidiladha.
Bekas KSUS Muhyiddin dakwa kajian EMGC terpesong
Marzuki mendakwa persampelan yang dilakukan EMGC adalah terpesong, sekaligus menyebabkan dapatan kajian keseluruhan itu terpesong.
Bekas Ketua Setiausaha Sulit Muhyiddin pertahan tindakan ubah suai Seri Perdana
Marzuki berkata, pembaikan berkenaan dilakukan adalah disebabkan masalah kebocoran di beberapa bahagian utama bangunan.
Dokumen disiar Anwar bukan bukti pelupusan hutang Felda - Marzuki
Dokumen yang disiarkan menerusi kenyataan media Perdana Menteri tidak membuktikan pelupusan hutang peneroka hanya dibuat pada Jun 2023.
Tidak mustahil anggota MAGERAN akan jadi pihak yang ada kuasa mutlak - Marzuki Mohamad
Marzuki juga menjelaskan, anggota MAGERAN bukan ahli politik yang dipilih oleh rakyat, kemungkinan juga boleh dikatakan tidak bertanggungjawab kepada rakyat.
MAGERAN diperlukan untuk selesai pelbagai krisis negara - Veteran UMNO
Majlis Gerakan Negara (Mageran) boleh ditubuhkan ketika ini sebagai satu penyelesaian menyeluruh pelbagai krisis yang melanda negara hari ini.
Tubuh MAGERAN? 'Keadaan sekarang jauh berbeza dengan Darurat Keselamatan 1969' - Ketua Setiausaha Sulit PM
Malaysia perlu tubuh Mageran? Darurat sekarang jauh berbeza dengan Darurat Keselamatan 1969 - Ketua Setiausaha Sulit PM
Muhyiddin sebagai 'puppet' Tun M? Teori ini tidak benar - Marzuki
Pendirian Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin dalam kes-kes mahkamah yang melibatkan pihak-pihak tertentu, pendirian beliau adalah jelas.
'Tun M yang sepatutnya ketuai PN, tiada siapa dapat baca fikirannya' - Marzuki
Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad yang sepatutnya menghadap Yang di-Pertuan Agong dan mengambil peluang untuk mengumumkan bahawa beliau mempunyai sokongan yang mencukupi.
Proklamasi darurat: Tingkat kecekapan dan pengurusan kawalan COVID-19 - Marzuki
Strategi dan tindakan diambil bagi membendung pandemik COVID-19 ekonomi dengan penglibatan banyak pihak termasuk pakar dan pembangkang