Mat Sabu says emergency rule an attack on Parliament a la Capitol storming

Amanah president Mohamad Sabu today became one of the first opposition politicians to condemn the state of emergency announced by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, comparing the declaration with the situation in the US where a state of emergency was declared in Washington to prevent a repeat of violent protests at Capitol Hill by supporters of outgoing president Donald Trump.

“Muhyiddin follows Donald Trump’s way. Attacking the Parliament (Capitol), declaring an emergency and disrespecting the election results,” Mohamad, also known as Mat Sabu, said in a Twitter post.

The state of emergency, announced this morning, came amid a spike in Covid-19 cases which has seen daily numbers entrenched in the four-figure range.

The emergency period will run until Aug 1 but could end earlier if the number of positive cases can be controlled and reduced, Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah said in announcing the matter.

This comes a day after Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said that the movement control order would be reinstated in six states.

Speaking on the state of emergency today, he said the civilian government would continue to function, with no military coup or curfew enforced.

He also said Parliament would not convene throughout the emergency period, and no elections would be held.

In the US, meanwhile, Trump declared a state of emergency in Washington DC ahead of president-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration on Jan 20.

This came amid warnings by the FBI on armed protests planned at all 50 US state capitols in the aftermath of the events of Jan 6, when a group of Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol building, clashing with police, damaging property, seizing the inauguration stage and occupying the rotunda.

The unrest took place after Trump urged his supporters to protest what he claims is a stolen election.