KUALA LUMPUR, June 21 – Information Chief Shahril Hamdan said Umno cannot buy the government’s excuses not to resume the Parliament sitting.

“Their actions thus far indicate they do not heed the statement issued by The King and Malay Rulers.

“The Parliament must reconvene immediately to restore the role of representatives elected by the people to carry out the task of check-and-balance in the management of pandemics and the country’s depleting economy.

“What’s more, the public is aware that the prosedure of the meeting is under government control. So, there is no reason to be afraid of the possibility facing whatever debates by the reps,” he said in response to the official statement by party president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

According to Shahril, any specific action by Umno should the government fails to response positively, will be decided by the Supreme Working Council and in line with the mandate from the General Assembly.

“If there is a political turmoil, the government’s stubborness is the answer.”

Zahid said in a media statement that Umno strongly urged the government to respect the decree of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and Rulers for the Parliament session to reconvene, and they party is giving a 14-day ultimatum to the government.

It stated that any refusal to do so is akin to staging a rebellion against the monarchy.

On June 16, Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah said the parliamentary session should reconvene ‘as soon as possible’ to enable the Emergency Ordinances and the National Recovery Plan be debated by the Dewan Rakyat member.