Oh Ei Sun of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs said the statement was vague and that Muhyiddin Yassin’s administration would “do their best to stretch constitutional boundaries to stay in power”.

Speaking to FMT, he said it was important to note that Muhyiddin only mentioned that a motion to debate and repeal the EOs could be laid before the next Parliament sitting in September.

Even if such motions were submitted, he said, there was no guarantee that it would be tabled for debate or be subject to a vote.

“It also does not state that if the September 2021 parliamentary meeting is postponed, rescheduled or cancelled, the motion (will) be laid before future parliamentary meetings, if ever there will be one,” he said.

Meanwhile, Bridget Welsh of the University of Nottingham Malaysia said it was “no surprise” that Muhyiddin had decided to back down following his disrespectful response to the monarchy, which provoked strong reactions from the public and politicians.

“But he has not chosen to back down with any substance. No one is resigning, no one is taking responsibility,” said Welsh.

“He’s acknowledging that there can be a vote down the line in a month, but in the same juncture, he’s not acknowledging that mistakes were made.”

She said it was clear Muhyiddin was delaying the matter, which sent a signal to Malaysians that the government did not appreciate the significance of the Emergency while its citizens continued to suffer under Covid-19.

Earlier today, Muhyiddin had conceded that the process of revoking the EOs had not been finalised.

With the end of the Emergency on Aug 1, he said, the issue of the cancellation of the EOs by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong no longer arose.

Still, he said, the EOs would be brought to Parliament in September to be debated, in line with the King’s decree on the matter.

He said the Cabinet would also discuss the matter at its weekly meeting tomorrow.