KUALA LUMPUR – Pakatan Harapan representatives in the bipartisan panel advising the king on the emergency wants Parliament to reconvene as soon as possible, saying they will make their stand known in every committee meeting.
In a statement today, they said the resumption of Parliament, despite the emergency still being in effect, is vital to ensure agendas and efforts to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic can be debated by MPs, besides providing checks and balances to the government.
“Reconvening Parliament will also give confidence to foreign countries and investors that Malaysia remains committed to the system of parliamentary democracy and the rule of law.
“We will share our view consistently during the committee meetings, and hope it will be accepted by the members as a collective decision to advise the Agong.”
The statement was signed by the three PH committee members, namely Kulim-Bandar Baharu MP Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad (Kuala Selangor) and Anthony Loke (Seremban).
The panel chaired by former chief justice Tun Arifin Zakaria was formed on February 9 to advise the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on matters pertaining to the emergency, including whether it is safe to lift the order. It met for the first time on February 18.
Besides lawmakers from both sides of the divide, the committee also comprises experts in the related fields, including former senior government officials.
The PH committee members said Parliament can resume under strict standard operating procedures set by the Health Ministry, similar to what was done last year.
In November, all MPs and their officers were required to undergo Covid-19 screening once every two weeks for the duration of the parliamentary session.
Lawmakers were not allowed to hold meetings in large groups when outside the chamber, either on or outside the Parliament premises, and were told to limit their movements and avoid gatherings outside Parliament.
The Health Ministry would also evaluate the SOPs should a coronavirus case be detected in the Parliament complex. – The Vibes, February 23, 2021
