Media Statement by Concerned Malaysian Academics on the Proposed Emergency Rule

Media Statement by Concerned Malaysian Academics on the Proposed Emergency Rule (25^th October 2020)

FOCUS ON THE RAKYAT, STOP POLITICKING

Negotiation the Way Forward, No Emergency Please!

We, the undersigned, note with grave concern the latest political development of the rumoured decision by the Cabinet to advise His Majesty Yang Di-Pertuan Agong to declare a state of Emergency. According to Article 150 of the Federal Constitution, a Proclamation of Emergency may be issued by the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong if he is satisfied that ‘a grave emergency exists whereby the security, or the economic life, or public order in the Federation or any part thereof is threatened’. At this moment in time, the country is nowhere near such situation.

The country is admittedly facing an economic crisis, as well as a public health crisis related to Covid-19 infection especially in Sabah, both of which are really worrisome. The government through the Ministry of Health nonetheless has sufficient legal and medical options to flatten the curve and bring the spread of the virus under control, as was done during the second wave. We are concerned that  the move to declare an Emergency under Article 150 is motivated by the unsettling political situation within the PN government itself and the fear that their 2021 Budget may be defeated in the scheduled parliamentary session in early November. If this is so, we would urge the PN government and all other members of parliament to let cool heads prevail and act responsibly as elected representatives of the rakyat. We urge them to demonstrate their commitment to preserve the democratic way of life, the fruits of a peaceful democratic transition, the rule of law and parliamentary democracy, the achievements of which have enhanced Malaysia’s reputation internationally. In the spirit of safeguarding national and people’s interest, they should show statesmanship by sitting down and negotiating a consensual budget to get it passed.

It needs no reminder that Emergency rule amounts to a monopoly of power by the Executive without the necessary checks and balances by the Judiciary and the Legislature. This only serves to compromise good governance and undermine the rule of law and accountability. This suspension of and disregard for democratic institutions, if not taken seriously, would lead us down the slippery slope of authoritarian government and dictatorial rule, a familiar development in the last century. This in turn will harm our international standing, financial reputation, investment climate, and governmental credibility, the price of which all of us, the Rakyat, and the country will have to pay.

In view of this, we call for calmness, wisdom and statesmanship: Focus on the Rakyat, Stop Politicking, Sit Down and Negotiate, No Emergency Please!

KENYATAAN MEDIA OLEH KUMPULAN AKADEMIK PRIHATIN MENGENAI CADANGAN PEMERINTAHAN DARURAT – 25 Oktober 2020

TUMPUKAN KEPADA KEPENTINGAN RAKYAT, HENTIKAN POLITIKING:

SELESAIKAN MASALAH DENGAN BERUNDING, TIDAK PERLU PEMERINTAHAN DARURAT!

Kami, yang bertandatangan di bawah ini, memerhatikan dengan penuh prihatin dan khuatir yang amat sangat tentang perkembangan politik terkini mengenai laporan  bahawa Kabinet  menasihati Duli Yang Maha Mulia Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong untuk mengisytiharkan pemerintahan Darurat. Menurut Fasal 150 Perlembagaan Persekutuan, Pengisytiharan Darurat dapat dikeluarkan oleh SPB Yang Di-pertuan Agong jika Baginda berpuas hati bahawa ‘satu keadaan darurat yang teruk berlaku di mana keselamatan, atau kehidupan ekonomi, atau ketenteraman awam di Persekutuan atau mana-mana sebahagian daripadanya terancam ‘. Pada masa kini, jelas sekali negara tidak berada dalam keadaan seperti itu.

Adalah jelas bahawa negara kita sedang menghadapi krisis ekonomi serta krisis kesihatan awam yang berkaitan dengan pandemik Covid-19 terutamanya di Sabah, dan kedua-dua krisis ini benar-benar membimbangkan. Meskipun demikian, Kerajaan Malaysia melalui Kementerian Kesihatan memiliki sejumlah pilihan undang-undang dan juga pilihan langkah perubatan yang mencukupi demi meratakan lengkung jangkitan Covid-19, seperti yang dilakukan pada gelombang kedua. Kami khuatir tindakan mengisytiharkan pemerintahan Darurat berdasarkan Fasal 150 didorong oleh situasi politik yang tidak menentu dalam pemerintahan PN itu sendiri dan kebimbangan bahawa Rang Undang-undang Belanjawan 2021 mereka akan dikalahkan dalam sidang Parlimen yang dijadualkan berlangsung pada awal November. Sekiranya demikian, kami menggesa  pemerintah PN dan semua anggota Parlimen lain supaya berfikir dengan tenang dan bertindak dengan penuh tanggungjawab sebagai Wakil Rakyat. Kami berpendapat mereka harus menunjukkan komitmen yang tidak berbelah bagi untuk memelihara cara hidup demokratik yang merupakan hasil peralihan demokrasi secara damai, di samping menjunjung kedaulatan undang-undang dan demokrasi berparlimen, yang pencapaiannya telah meningkatkan reputasi Malaysia di peringkat antarabangsa. Dalam semangat demi melindungi kepentingan negara dan rakyat, mereka seharusnya  menunjukkan sifat kenegarawanan dengan duduk bersama merundingkan belanjawan yang dipersetujui untuk diluluskan oleh Parlimen. 

Kita semua tentu sedar bahawa pemerintahan Darurat memberikan monopoli kuasa kepada Badan Eksekutif tanpa proses semak-dan-imbang yang perlu oleh Badan Kehakiman dan Badan Perundangan. Keadaan sedemikian hanya akan menjejaskan tadbir urus yang baik dan melemahkan pemerintahan menurut undang-undang dan akauntabiliti. Sekiranya kita tidak mengambil berat perkara penggantungan dan pengabaian institusi demokrasi ini, akibatnya nanti akan menjerumuskan negara kita ke jalan kemunduran, iaitu pemerintahan autoriter dan diktator, suatu perkembangan yang biasa berlaku pada abad yang lalu. Hal ini hanya akan merosakkan kedudukan antarabangsa, reputasi kewangan, iklim pelaburan, dan kredibiliti pemerintahan negara kita. Inilah harga mahal yang kita semua — Rakyat dan Negara – akan terpaksa membayarnya nanti.

Sehubungan dengan itu, kami menyeru supaya semua pihak berfikiran waras dan tenang, bersifat hikmah dan menunjukkan prinsip kenegarawanan: Tumpukan kepada kepentingan Rakyat, Hentikan Politiking, Selesaikan masalah secara jujur dengan berunding,  Sekali-kali jangan isytiharkan pemerintahan Darurat!

List of Signatories / Senarai Penandatangan

1. Prof Emeritus Dato’ Dr Abdul Rahman Embong, retired academic
2. Prof Emeritus Dato Dr Wazir Jahan Karim, Anthropologist and Conservationist
3. Prof Dr Syed Farid Alatas, National University of Singapore
4. Prof Emeritus Dr Tham Siew Yean, retired academic
5. Prof Emeritus Datuk Dr Muhammad Hj Salleh, retired academic
6. Prof Zaharom Nain, University of Nottingham Malaysia
7. Prof Dato’ Dr. Mohammad Agus Yusoff, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
8. Prof Dr Maude E Phipps, Monash University Malaysia
9. Prof Dr Edmund Terence Gomez, Universiti Malaya
10. Prof Dr Sharmani Patricia Gabriel, Universiti Malaya
11. Prof Dr Teh Yik Koon, Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia
12. Prof Dr Mohamed Aslam Haneef, International Islamic University of Malaysia
13. Prof Dr Nor Faridah Abdul Manaf, International Islamic University Of Malaysia
14. Prof Dr Chin Yee Whah, Universiti Sains Malaysia
15. Dr Ong Puay Liu, retired professor of anthropology
16. Mr. Abdul Halim Ali, retired professor of sociology
17. Dato’ Dr Ahmad Mahdzan Ayob, retired professor, former university deputy vice-chancellor
18. Dr Francis Loh Kok Wah, retired professor of politics
19. Dr Subramaniam Pillay,  retired academic and co- founder of Aliran
20. Dr Madeline Berma, retired academic; Fellow, Academy of Sciences Malaysia
21. Norani Othman, retired professor of sociology
22. Assoc Prof Dr Helen Ting, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
23. Dr Hew Wai Weng, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
24. Assoc Prof Dr.Lew Bon Hoi, New Era University College
25. Dr Lai Suat Yan, Universiti Malaya
26. Dr Khoo Ying Hooi, Universiti Malaya
27. Assoc Prof Dr Yeoh Seng Guan, Monash University Malaysia
28. Assoc Prof Dr Kuik Cheng Chwee, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
29. Dr Mohd Faizal Musa, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
30. Dr Greg Lopez, Murdoch University
31. Dr Charis Quay Huei Li, Université Paris-Saclay
32. Dr Rusaslina Idrus, Universiti Malaya
33. Dr Phua Kai Lit, retired associate professor
34. Assoc Prof Dr Sumit Mandal, University of Nottingham Malaysia
35. Dr Por Heong Hong, Universiti Sains Malaysia
36. Dr Lim Teck Ghee, retired academic
37. Assoc Prof Dr Khoo Gaik Cheng, University of Nottingham Malaysia
38. Dr Mazlan bin Che Soh, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM)
39. Dr Chong Wu Ling, Universiti Malaya
40. Dr Muhamad Azwan Abd Rahman, Universiti Utara Malaysia
41. Mr Bealeatham Kalimuthu, retired academic
42. Dr Teo Lee Ken, independent researcher
43. Mr Muhammad Ariff Asyrul Adnan, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM)
44. Mr Rosli H. Mahat, retired associate professor of physics
45. Dr Omar Shawkataly, retired academic
46. Dr. Ngo Sheau Shi, Universiti Sains Malaysia
47. Dr Yuwana Podin, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak
48. Dr Tunku Mohar Tunku Mohd Mokhtar, International Islamic University of Malaysia
49. Mr Azmyl Yusof, Sunway University
50. Dr Andrew Aeria, retired academic
51. Ms Tricia Yeoh, PhD candidate, University of Nottingham Malaysia
52. Dr. Azmil Tayeb, Universiti Sains Malaysia
53. Dr Koh Sin Yee, Monash University Malaysia
54. Dr Brendan J.  Gomez, independent scholar
55. Dr Show Ying Xin, Australian National University
56. Dr Ramze Endut, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
57. Dr V. Selvaratnam, retired academic
58. Mr Haris Zuan Jaharudin, academic & PhD candidate, Cranfield University
59. Ms. Fatimah Mohd Tajuddin, academic & PhD candidate
60. Mr. Mohd Sazni Salehuddin, academic
61. Ms Syahida Johan, academic
62. Mr. Ooi Kok Hin, MA candidate, independent researcher
63. Mr. Zikri Rahman, MA candidate, National Chiao Tung University
64. Mr. Helmy Muhammad, PhD candidate
65. Ms. Aisyah Tajuddin, academic
66. Ms. Nabilah Huda, academic
67. Mr. Fairuzzaman Shaharuddin, PhD candidate
68.  Dr Wan Manan Wan Muda, retired academic
69.  Dr Azizan Bahari, retired academic, writer
70.  Dr Wan Puspa Melati Wan Abdul Halim, academic
71.  Ms. Marilyn Ong Siew Ai, retired academic
72. Dr Athi Sivan T. Mariappan, independent researcher
73. Dr Chan lean Heng, retired academic
74. Dr Wilson Tay Tze Vern, Taylor’s University Malaysia
75. Ms Fang Yi Xue, academic (INTI International University) & PhD Candidate
76. Dr Lee Hwok Aun, ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute
77. Dr. Sharifah Munirah Alatas, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
78. Dr Chai Ming Hock, Universiti Sains Malaysia
79. Mr Ab Bassit Husain,academic, Universiti Kuala Lumpur
80. Mr Akmal Hisham Abdul Rahim, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM)
81. Mr Aznijar Mohd Yazid, Universiti Malaya
82. Dr. Simon Soon, Universiti Malaya
83. Dr Chang Teck Peng, Tunku Abdul Rahman University College
84. Dr Wong Kok Keong, Berjaya University College
85. Dr Welyne Jeffrey Jehom, Universiti Malaya
86. Dr Ngeow Chow Bing, Universiti Malaya
87. Dr Muhamad Nadzri Mohamed Noor, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
88. Dr Peter Chang, Universiti Malaya
89. Assoc Prof Dr Sivachandralingam Sundara Raja, Universiti Malaya
90. Assoc Prof Dr Chang Yun Fah, Taylor’s University Malaysia
91. Mr U K Menon, CEO, Espact Education
92. Prof. Emeritus Dr Johan Saravanamuttu, Universiti Sains Malaysia
93. Dr Cecilia Ng, retired academic
94. Dr Fiona Lee, University of Sydney
95. Dr Tan Beng Hui, independent researcher
96. Dr Tan Sooi Beng, retired professor
97. Andrew Khoo, former Commonwealth Professional Fellow
98. Dr Agnes Yeow, Universiti Malaya
99. Assistant Prof Dr Leong Kar Yen, Tamkang University Taiwan
100. Dr Ngu Ik Tien, Universiti Malaya
     
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