PETALING JAYA (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - The Malaysian government must reconvene Parliament within two weeks, said Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

He said his party - the biggest in Malaysia's ruling Perikatan Nasional (PN) government - fully supported the views of the Malay Rulers calling for Parliament to reconvene as soon as possible.

"The failure of the government to carry out those views can be considered as disloyalty and showing disrespect towards the Malay royal institutions," he said on Monday (June 21).

Dr Ahmad Zahid, who is MP for Bagan Datuk, said that similar to what has been expressed to Malaysia's king, Umno is of the view that Parliament was important in raising various issues and hopes of the rakyat facing difficulties during the Covid-19 pandemic.

He added that it will also ensure accountability in government administrative matters.

On June 16, the king called for the parliament to be reconvened as soon as possible.

The Istana Negara's comptroller Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin said that Sultan Abdullah Shah conveyed this after considering all the views presented by the political leaders, the Special Independent Committee on Emergency and experts as well as government agencies.

The Malay Rulers also expressed that there is no need to continue placing the country under Emergency beyond Aug 1.

While the country remains in a state of political uncertainty, Umno secretary-general Ahmad Maslan said there is a movement to collect statutory declarations (SD) from lawmakers in order to form a new government.

However, he added that he was not among the lawmakers approached by those behind the movement.

He said: "I have heard about them (the SDs). I do not deny their existence."

"There are indeed such efforts... but some colleagues and I have not been approached to sign anything," the Pontian MP said in an interview with Malaysia Post on Sunday.

At its general assembly in March, Umno gave its supreme council the mandate to withdraw support for the PN government at any time it sees fit. Umno has 14 ministers and deputy ministers in the Cabinet.

Dr Ahmad Zahid had said this was the indication the party leadership received from the general assembly if a general election was not forthcoming.

The Umno president said once at least 80 per cent of the population has been vaccinated against Covid-19, there should be no reason not to hold a general election to obtain a fresh mandate.

On Umno's own elections, Mr Ahmad Maslan said any decision on when it will be held will also be based upon the advice of the Registrar of Societies, National Security Council and Health Ministry.

He said: "I already have the answer (on the party polls) but I cannot share it at the moment. It is up to the majority decision of the supreme council."

"If we have a majority decision, we will announce it," he added.

According to Umno's constitution, the supreme council has the prerogative to postpone party polls up to 18 months from the date when the election is supposed to be held.

Umno's elections have been held every three years, with the last one held on June 30, 2018. The current term of Umno's office bearers is set to expire on June 30 this year.