KUALA LUMPUR – After a months-long suspension, the Dewan Rakyat will hold a special five-day meeting starting late July, while the Dewan Negara will sit early next month, said the Prime Minister’s Office.
In a statement today, it said the government has agreed to advise the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on a Dewan Rakyat sitting from July 26 to 29, and on August 2.
The Dewan Negara, meanwhile, will sit for three days from August 3 to 5.
“The sitting is to provide an explanation to all MPs on the National Recovery Plan, and to amend all the relevant legislation and regulations to allow Parliament to be held in a hybrid manner,” said PMO.
“According to Article 150(3) of the federal constitution, all emergency proclamations and ordinances made by the Agong shall be laid before both houses of Parliament.”
It said the meetings will be conducted in accordance with standard operating procedures to be determined by the National Security Council and Health Ministry.
The cabinet has been notified of the decision, it added.
The decision to convene Parliament, which has been suspended since a nationwide state of emergency was declared on January 12, follows months of pressure from various quarters.
The emergency, proclaimed by Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah with the aim of curbing the Covid-19 pandemic, is scheduled to end on August 1.
However, cases continue to spike, prompting calls for lawmakers to discuss in Parliament efforts to control the health threat.
Despite the king having consented to the House convening and his repeated calls – on February 24, and June 16 and 29 – towards this end, the Perikatan Nasional administration fixed the dates only today.
Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin on June 15 said the Dewan Rakyat would convene in September or October should daily coronavirus cases fall below 2,000.
He received backing from Law Minister Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan, who said His Majesty did not specify a date for Parliament to reconvene.
The Agong summoned leaders of major political parties between June 9 and 14 to gather their views on the country’s virus and economic crises.
The audiences were followed by a special Conference of Rulers meeting on June 16, which was also attended by top government officials, where the king raised issues brought up to him by the politicians he met.
His Majesty then granted audiences to the speakers and deputy speakers of both houses of Parliament to discuss a sitting before August.
Pakatan Harapan issued an ultimatum on Friday, saying its MPs would descend on Parliament on July 19 should the government fail by today to fix dates for a sitting. – The Vibes, July 5, 2021
