Malaysia: Judiciary will continue to uphold law, justice throughout emergency, PM says

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin during a special address in conjunction with the proclamation of the emergency (BERNAMA)

KUALA LUMPUR: The government has given its assurance that the judiciary will continue to function to uphold the law and justice throughout the emergency period.

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said the Perikatan Nasional government will continue to defend the independence of the judiciary and would never interfere in matters of the courts.

“The judiciary will continue to be the beacon of justice in our country and I will never interfere in the business of the court,” he said in a special address in conjunction with the proclamation of the emergency, Bernama news agency reported.

Muhyiddin said Federal executive powers will cover all matters concerning state legislative powers, except for Islamic laws and Malay customs, native laws and customs in Sabah and Sarawak, religion, citizenship as well as language, as prescribed under Clause 6A Article 150 of the Federal Constitution.

The government is committed to ensuring best governance practices continue during this period, he added.

Meanwhile, the prime minister said the necessary powers under the Emergency Ordinance would also be used to facilitate matters and overcome regulations that made it difficult to deliver fast, efficient and effective public health services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“An ordinance can be issued to provide added enforcement authority to the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF), in accordance with the powers vested with the Royal Malaysian Police under the Criminal Procedure Code or any other relevant enforcement laws,” he said.

He said the MAF would also be allocated powers to help perform functions related to public health and relevant public officials during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In line with the emergency, Muhyiddin said national border control would also be tightened by empowering military personnel as well as the police and the immigration to arrest illegal immigrants and those who encroached the country’s borders.