KUALA LUMPUR – The final day of the special Dewan Rakyat sitting has been postponed indefinitely, following an order issued by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
Dewan Rakyat secretary Nizam Mydin Bacha Mydin in a statement today said the decision to put off the meeting next Monday is due to a recent Covid-19 outbreak in Parliament.
He said the instruction was relayed by Muhyiddin to the Dewan Rakyat speaker’s office in line with Standing Order 11(3) of the House, which grants the prime minister the power to decide a meeting when Parliament is not officially in session.
The special sitting was called to discuss the government’s Covid-19 handling after the emergency declared in January led to the suspension of Parliament.
Nizam Mydin said the postponement is consistent with Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah’s proposal and a risk assessment conducted by the ministry.
“As such, I have been ordered by Deputy Speaker Datuk Mohd Rashid Hasnon to submit this notification to all MPs that the Dewan Rakyat will not sit on Monday, August 2.”
Jijik dan keji. Dah lah diarah oleh Timbalan Speaker! Mana Speaker?! Disgusting. pic.twitter.com/mHsIFnjnLR
— Fahmi Fadzil ??? (@fahmi_fadzil) July 31, 2021
The delay comes amid a brewing constitutional crisis between Istana Negara and the Perikatan Nasional government, following the latter’s announcement on Monday of the revocation of emergency ordinances without first securing royal assent.
In a strongly worded statement issued by the palace on Thursday, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong reprimanded the government for misleading the Dewan Rakyat and acting unconstitutionally.
Opposition MPs in an immediate response demanded an answer from Putrajaya.
The uproar in the House led to Rashid, who was overseeing the proceedings, adjourning the sitting multiple times.
He later announced a possible Covid-19 outbreak in Parliament, requiring all MPs to be immediately tested.
Eleven tests returned positive, according to a statement by Dr Noor Hisham yesterday.
The move to adjourn the meet on Thursday has been described by many as an attempt by the government to avoid being questioned on the revocation, as well as a potential vote of confidence that could see Muhyiddin losing. – The Vibes, July 31, 2021
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