In a Facebook posting, the lawyer, Mohamed Haniff Khatri Abdulla, backed his contention by citing a list of events and government actions.

These included the government’s failure to hold parliamentary sittings, refusal to table the emergency ordinances in Parliament or answer questions related to the matter, allegedly misleading the Dewan Rakyat, and allegedly making a rude response to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s rebuke on the issue, among others.

Haniff said these events and actions provided grounds for investigation under the Penal Code for “activities deemed detrimental to parliamentary democracy”, which carry a penalty of jail terms of up to 20 years.

He also said they can be investigated under the Sosma security law.

The government has come under heavy criticism over revocation of the emergency ordinances, made under the state of emergency which expired on Aug 1.