YOURSAY | ‘If it is a well-thought-out decision, it would not have been just a three-day notice.’

Azmin warns of possible legal action if state gov’ts refuse to reopen economies

Vijay47: The opposing stand by the six states must have come as a big shock to you and a great blow to your ego, International Trade and Industry Minister Azmin Ali.

Did you really expect them to roll over and play poodle to your orders when nobody views you as an emissary of a legal government?

How your claim that “this decision to open the economy was taken with the utmost care, caution and responsibility” may have been received with greater credibility had you come from a history of similar concern for legalities.

Where was this respect for the law, Azmin, when you usurped a duly-elected government?

Nobody denies that continued enforcement of the movement control order (MCO) would be devastating to the economy, but we have no choice and everyone believes that premature relaxation would only result in unending queues to the cemetery.

Our virus-status is wavering wildly and just a few days before this unwise lifting of the restrictions, we saw daily infections surging into three digits again when earlier we were assured that the worst was over and we were on the mend.

Strangely, you state that the relax-decision was reached after consultations among the Finance Ministry, International Trade and Industry Ministry, Bank Negara and Khazanah Nasional Berhad.

You did not mention the Health Ministry. Perhaps you hold that when it comes to the nation’s health, the Health Ministry is not relevant.

And to further support your stand, Azmin, you quote brayings from the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers and the Malay Chamber of Commerce.

What happened to the conclusions of the Chinese and Indian Chambers of Commerce, the Associated Chamber of Commerce, and the Malaysian International Chambers of Commerce? Don’t their viewpoints also matter?

Far from having a soft landing, you would have seen today that people are already thronging shopping centres not to purchase food or other essentials but to buy clothing! What would the toll soon be from this insane enthusiasm?

You seem confident in assuring that the coast is clear for restarting the engines of commerce and the return of millions to work. Why is it then that a gathering of 222 members of parliament is considered dangerous to their health?

Dompet Saya: Even though the licence to operate many industries comes from federal ministries, you can’t open any business or manufacturing plant without the local council approval.

Which means the local council can impose conditions. Good luck with suing the state governments. You will be in court until the next Covid appears.

Vgeorgemy: No employer wants to sue any state authorities for the closure as that will open floodgates of employees suing them if staff get Covid-19 from office contacts.

The employer has to spend millions of ringgit for everyday testing to ensure their staff is free from Covid-19. Does Azmin understand the basic of economics?

Gerard Lourdesamy: Let the industry players sue the state governments if they dare. After that, they should be prepared for the consequences.

The constitutionality of Act 342 should be challenged by state governments in the High Court because it cannot possibly exclude the powers of state governments when public health, sanitation and the prevention of diseases comes under Item 7 of the Concurrent List in the Ninth Schedule to the Federal Constitution, which means both the federation and the states have concurrent jurisdiction over the matter.

Federal Bakery: Others have spoken eloquently of the incompetence of this government and its head honcho. What happened on Feb 29 when the legitimately-elected government was ousted will have ramifications that will last longer than the Covid-19 epidemic.

These men who have snatched power are not only incompetent but lack the morals to lead.

In the middle of a crisis such as we are now in, the answer to uncertainties expressed by the states is not to threaten them with imaginary legal actions that may be taken against them but to share with the states all information that supports the decision to reopen the economy and to allay their fears about the epidemic growing worse.

In the seven weeks of shutdown, the government must have had the time and the expertise to carry out an impact study that would weigh the different consequences of continuing with the shutdown or terminating it.

The public has not had the benefit of a considered opinion on these matters. The dilemma of deciding on lives or livelihood needs a careful consideration of all interests. This government has proven that it does not have the competence to manage these issues.

The Parliament must be convened, and not for one day only, to deliberate more carefully the matters that are affecting the country - economic and health matters. Also, to take steps to chuck this bunch of usurpers from power.

Anonymous_1547638166059.10451547637684383: I am for opening of the economy. But to give three days’ notice, and after which you threatened to sue, doesn't sound good on you as the minister.

The state government has every right to protect the people's health and businesses of their respective states.

Life: I believe that one of the main reasons that this government "re-opens" the economy so hastily is because the government could be running out of funds under the Special Relief Fund (SRF) for SMEs (small and medium enterprises).

This is disastrous for many SMEs. There is much hype, emphasis and talk from the government on this relief fund to help SMEs tie over their cashflow at affordable interest rates over the next six months due to this crisis.

Bank Negara could have informed the government last week on the situation on the SRF Fund hence this sudden and hasty action by the government on May 1. If it is a well-thought-out decision as what the government says, it would not have been just a three-day notice to Malaysians.

This situation is similar to the previous announcement when the wage subsidy fund had allegedly dried up… sigh.

Fair Play: Azmin is rapidly losing the plot politically and he knew it. That’s why he resorted to using threat - legal action instituted by businesses against the respective state governments.

Legal action? What legal action? Businesses suing the respective state governments on the ground of loss of profit because they (respective states) tighten health control to protect the rakyat?

On the other hand, his political arch-rival Ismail Sabri Yaakob had earlier said each state could tighten the standard of control by delaying or tighten the control for the safety of the rakyat in their respective states.

The truth is there is only one winner in this battle. And that is Ismail Sabri.

YOURSAY | Little time for businesses to prepare for conditional MCO

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