KUALA LUMPUR – Pakatan Harapan MPs will assemble in Parliament of their own accord on July 19 if the government continues to hold off on a sitting.
The coalition also urged government MPs who support the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s decree for the House to reconvene soonest, and those who respect the spirit of the federal constitution and parliamentary democracy, to join them.
In a statement today, the PH presidential council said opposition lawmakers will proceed with the move if Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin does not announce by Monday a parliamentary session.
“We view seriously the press statement issued by Istana Negara on June 29. It’s a historic one, as this is the third time the Agong has expressed his view that Parliament can and should convene.
“The presidential council also scrutinised the statement by the Dewan Negara and Dewan Rakyat speakers on June 30, proposing to the prime minister that a special parliamentary sitting be held before August 1.
“However, we are disappointed that until today, the prime minister and minister in charge of Parliament (Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan) have not issued any statement on the concrete steps taken pertaining to the reconvening of the House.”
Their actions can be construed as committing treason against the king and other Malay rulers, who have expressed their view that Parliament must sit immediately, it said.
If the prime minister and his ministers remain stubborn in going against the Agong and Malay rulers, they are responsible for triggering a constitutional crisis.”
The council said having a sitting immediately is necessary to allow debates on the Covid-19 pandemic, emergency proclamation and its ordinances, and the National Recovery Plan, to ensure that effective efforts are undertaken to address the health and economic crises, and issues concerning the people.
The statement was signed by opposition leader and PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Amanah president Mohamad Sabu and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng.
Parliament has not sat since the emergency, which is scheduled to end on August 1, was proclaimed on January 12.
Despite the Agong having consented to and repeating calls for the House to meet – on February 24, June 16 and June 29 – the Perikatan Nasional administration has yet to fix a date.
Muhyiddin on June 15 said the Dewan Rakyat will reconvene in September or October if daily Covid-19 cases fall below 2,000.
He received backing from Takiyuddin, who said the king did not specify a date for Parliament to reconvene. – The Vibes, July 2, 2021
