KUALA LUMPUR – Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman today slammed the move to limit the number of lawmakers for the current Dewan Rakyat sitting, saying they are still responsible for raising issues on behalf of the people.
This comes after Federal Territories Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa said MPs can still monitor proceedings, following the decision to limit the number of parliamentarians in the House to 80.
“Although only 80 MPs are allowed in at any one time, lawmakers can still monitor through videos and the closed-circuit system at their respective workspaces, offices and around the Parliament building,” he tweeted.
Syed Saddiq said this will not go down well with Malaysians.
“MPs receive high salaries. You cannot expect our responsibility to be limited to simply sitting in front of a laptop or television, and shaking our legs.
“We are responsible for intervening, debating and raising issues affecting the people. Malaysians will be angry if we are being paid so much, yet our duties in Parliament are unsatisfactory.”
He suggested on Twitter that the Parlimen Digital initiative assist in conducting Dewan Rakyat meets online.
“All 222 MPs must be on full duty. The last sitting in May was only for one day. Now, this November session, please don’t limit the attendance to only 80 members.
“Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”
Earlier, Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker Datuk Mohd Rashid Hasnon said as part of enhanced Covid-19 prevention measures, the House will only have 80 lawmakers in attendance at any one time, including for tomorrow’s Budget 2021 tabling.
The 80 will comprise 41 lawmakers from the ruling Perikatan Nasional and 39 from the opposition bench. – The Vibes, November 5, 2020
