KUALA LUMPUR – There will be a limit on the number of individuals, including parliamentarians, allowed to be present at the parliamentary sitting from September 6 to stop the spread of Covid-19, said Deputy Speaker Datuk Mohd Rashid Hasnon.
Rashid said this is to ensure the session runs smoothly and prevent virus transmission, as what had happened during the special five-day parliamentary sitting last month.
The Dewan Rakyat Committee – based on Health Ministry and National Security Council advice – will call in and discuss with both the government and opposition chief whips soon, he added.
“As before, the committee will call in both chief whips for a discussion (on attendance numbers).
“(We need to) learn from what happened during the recent special sitting, and we need more solid prevention measures.”
The recent session was supposed to take place from July 26 to 29, and on August 2, but met for only four days before it was postponed after Covid-19 cases were detected in Parliament.
As of August 8, 88 cases were detected involving individuals who attended the special sitting.
On the motion of confidence on Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin expected to be tabled in the upcoming session, Rashid said Parliament has yet to receive such a motion.
“To date, we have yet to receive it. For government motions, the submission date is not far off from the date of the sitting, as compared to private motions, which need to be handed in 14 days before (the sitting).”
Muhyiddin had last week announced that a vote of confidence to determine his legitimacy will be held in Parliament when it reconvenes next month.
The first meeting of the fourth session of the 14th Parliament will sit for 15 days from September 6 to 30, while the second meeting will run for 32 days from October 25 to December 16.
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong is set to officiate the opening ceremony on September 6. – Bernama, August 10, 2021
