KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 26 — The country and government went about its business as usual today, save for important meetings here and there, a day after the Yang di-Pertuan Agong decreed there is no necessity to declare an emergency to address the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin met with several political party leaders, among them PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang and MIC president Tan Sri S. A. Vigneswaran, at the Perdana Putra Building in Putrajaya at about 9.30 am.
Two hours later, Muhyiddin chaired a special meeting of the Cabinet and in then presided over the daily meeting of the National Security Council (MKN).
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, decreed yesterday there is no necessity to declare an emergency, called on politicians to stop politicking and urged the people to unite and help the government combat COVID-19 for the people’s safety and national well-being.
Muhyiddin, in a statement last night, said the Cabinet took heed of the decree and will discuss the matter further. The Cabinet had sought the King’s consent for the declaration of the emergency.
This capital city saw political developments today as leaders of several political parties held meetings face-to-face or online to work out the next steps.
The Barisan Nasional (BN) held a meeting at Menara Dato’ Onn; PKR held a virtual meeting and UMNO is scheduled to convene its supreme council tonight at the Putra World Trade Centre.
All eyes seem to be on UMNO which has 39 MPs and is a part of the government bloc. The party’s role is seen as crucial in determining the fate of the Perikatan National (PN) government which also comprises Bersatu, PAS, MCA, MIC and PBRS.
“We are just brainstorming, listening to the views of the MPs. As party members, we are bound by the party decisions.
“We hold to the principle that UMNO cannot become fragmented. UMNO must act as a bloc. This is a view that can be said to be supported by all,” Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, the former prime minister who is the BN Advisory Board chairman, told reporters at Menara Dato Onn.
Despite various speculations in social media in the wake of the royal decree, Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob came on air, albeit a little late, to address the nation on the Movement Control Order (MCO) issues pertaining to COVID-19.
He announced that the Conditional MCO (CMCO) in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya will be extended by two more weeks to Nov 9 while CMCO will be enforced in Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, and an Enhanced MCO (EMCO) at Putra Point Nilai from Oct 28 to Nov 10.
He also said that the EMCO in Taman Khazanah Indah and Mutiara Kasih Apartments in Lahad Datu as well as Felda Umas in Kalabakan, Sabah, will be extended to Nov 9 and EMCO will be enforced in Taman Mesra and Taman Mawar in Sandakan, also in Sabah, from Oct 28 to Nov 10.
Director-General of Health Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah also held his daily press conference, announcing 1,240 new COVID-19 cases, the highest daily number since the outbreak of the disease in the country early this year.
He also reported seven deaths from the disease over 24 hours up to noon Monday, which raised the death toll to 236.
In announcing the royal decree yesterday, the King said the government has addressed the COVID-19 pandemic effectively.
— BERNAMA
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