COMMENT | One cannot deny, from time to time, a country may fall into crisis. And in a severe crisis, certain normalcies may have to be suspended. We also recognise that in some extreme circumstances, democratic practices could be temporarily interrupted to allow rapid responses to critical challenges.

The key question is that whether Malaysia is currently in a situation warrants such a drastic measure.

Here, people deserve a clear explanation of what is the nature of the threats faced by this country. The people voted for MPs and parties to administrate the country but not a blank cheque to govern.

As an Emergency Order has very serious and wide-ranging implications (some which we may not presently anticipate), the government must be transparent for such an extraordinary decision...