KUALA LUMPUR – The Perikatan Nasional administration has been told to stop using the “Covid-19 outbreak in Parliament” excuse to postpone the Dewan Rakyat sitting.
The Pakatan Harapan presidential council in a statement today also urged all quarters, including Health officials, to not conspire with the government to shut down the august House.
Its statement comes moments after Dewan Rakyat secretary Nizam Mydin Bacha Mydin announced the indefinite postponement of the sitting on Monday.
It is unclear if the PH presidential council’s statement took into consideration the latest development.
Citing events that unfolded in Parliament last Thursday – when proceedings had to be adjourned multiple times after an uproar in the House following a royal rebuke of the government – the council said the postponement was attributed to Covid-19 infections.
It said of the 1,183 tests conducted that day, only 11 (0.9%) returned positive – lower than the World Health Organisation’s threshold of 5% for an outbreak to be considered high-risk.
As such, the issue of a Covid-19 outbreak cannot, and shall not, be made an excuse to suspend the sitting on Monday, it added.
“If Parliament closes because of a positivity rate of less than 1%, then there is a high possibility that it will never reconvene seeing that Covid-19 is here to stay in the community.”
The council also issued a stern warning to Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to not misuse government agencies and ministries, including Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, to prevent the proceeding.
Similarly, it said Dr Noor Hisham must also not allow himself to be used by the government.
“Whatever happens, MPs must not be barred from attending the sitting on Monday, to carry out their duties and responsibilities to the rakyat and country, and stand by their oath to protect and defend the federal constitution.
“Muhyiddin must listen to the voices of the rakyat who want the decree of the Agong to be adhered to, and to debate and vote on the emergency ordinances.”
The statement was jointly signed by PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Amanah president Mohamad Sabu and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng.
Nizam Mydin said the postponement follows an order issued by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to the Dewan Rakyat Speaker’s office, in line with Standing Order 11(3) of the House.
The provision grants the prime minister the power to decide a meeting when Parliament is not officially in session. The current proceeding is only a special sitting.
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, after 11 individuals tested positive at the House on Thursday.
The final day of the sitting was scheduled to focus on the emergency proclamation and its ordinances – the latter of which was revoked on July 26 without royal consent.
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. – The Vibes, July 31, 2021
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