KUALA LUMPUR – The second meeting of the fourth term of the 14th Parliament adjourned sine die today after sitting for 33 days from October 25, with 16 bills tabled and passed, including the Supply Bill 2022 (Budget 2022).
The sitting made history when it passed the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2021, enshrining the Malaysia Agreement 1963, with over a two-thirds majority on December 14.
The amendments were made to strengthen the position of Sabah and Sarawak within the Federation of Malaysia.
Also passed in this session were the Finance Bill 2021; the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (Amendment) Bill 2021; the Patents (Amendment) Bill 2021; the Copyright (Amendment) Bill 2021 and the Malaysian Space Board Bill 2020.
This Dewan Rakyat sitting, which was scheduled to end on December 16, was extended by one day until today to enable the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Amendment) Bill 2021 to be discussed and decided upon.
However, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin postponed the tabling of the bill for the second and third reading to the next session.
Dewan Rakyat speaker Tan Sri Azhar Azizan Harun, livened up his closing speech with a pantun describing the antics of several MPs, including P. Kasthuriraani (Batu Kawan-PH), R.S.N. Rayer (Jelutong-PH), Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob (Bera-BN) and Khairy (Rembau-BN).
Among other things, the pantun read:
Batu Kawan berwarna-warni,
Jelutong pula tidak habis berdiri,
Setiap hari kita di sini,
Amanah rakyat kita penuhi.
Yang Amat Berhormat Bera orangnya tenang,
Rembau pula orangnya tampan,
Yang Dipertua kadang-kadang memanglah naik berang,
Namun apa-apa pun dihati tak pernah disimpan.
Azhar said the now-concluded session was held taking into account the challenges brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, with various measures taken, including requiring those attending the sitting to take RTK-Ag saliva tests on a regular basis and encouraging all MPs to take Covid-19 vaccine booster shots. – Bernama, December 20, 2021
