KUALA LUMPUR – There has yet to be a notice issued by the Dewan Rakyat speaker on convening the House because Malaysia is still under a state of emergency, said Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan.
The law minister added that the emergency ordinance does not allow Parliament to convene.
“Parliament can convene only after the emergency ends. The notice can be issued only after the emergency ends.
“It means no later than August 1... the emergency ends on August 1. Then, the relevant laws allowing Parliament to convene will come into force again,” he told Bernama after visiting a vaccination centre at the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Kota Baru, Kelantan.
He said the prime minister will decide on an appropriate date for Parliament to sit after seeking the views of the attorney-general.
Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin will then inform the Dewan Rakyat speaker of the date, after which the latter will issue a 28-day notice to parliamentarians.
On a hybrid Parliament sitting, Takiyuddin said it is an option if a fully physical meet is not possible.
“The speaker said a hybrid parliamentary session is an option, that is, if Parliament cannot be held physically.
“A hybrid sitting means some MPs will convene physically, with others present virtually. Even now, many meetings, including cabinet meetings, are held online.
“So, Parliament has proposed to the government for hybrid sittings to be held if they cannot be done physically.” – The Vibes, June 27, 2021
