Hadi slams the emergency naysayers

(FMT) – Political leaders who are still debating the issue of who should be the prime minister while the Covid-19 outbreak is raging with all-time high, four-figure cases every day are “behaving like Donald Trump”, said PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang.

Without naming anyone, Abdul Hadi criticised those still questioning the move to proclaim a state of emergency, saying they did not realise that they were also divided with no majority of their own.

“There are some who have sunk but are still holding on. And others who do not realise that they are nearly sinking, with some even sending lists of names to the Agong without having the necessary majority,” he said in a statement that seemed to be an obvious jibe at PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim and former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

He added that the proclamation of emergency to curb the Covid-19 pandemic was necessary and, therefore, it was best for all parties to “suspend” the game of politics.

“Unfortunately, they prefer to follow the example of US President Donald Trump who continued to play politics while disregarding the pandemic that was raging in the country, resulting in a high death toll,” he said.

Hadi said the safety of people must be prioritised, not the political interests of certain individuals or groups.

“The time-frame for the emergency has been set. It is a very limited time-frame – until the pandemic issue gets addressed. The emergency does not prevent individuals and families from carrying on with their lives.”