Parliament sitting extended by 4 days to April 19

KUALA LUMPUR -- The Dewan Rakyat will not sit on April 11 and 12 in conjunction with the ceremonial installation of the 14th Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia said the house would re-convene on April 16 to 19 to allow the bills to be debated and approved.

"The government decided that the Dewan Rakyat sitting will be extended for four days from April 16 to 19, 2012.

"This is in accordance under Point 11 (2) of the parliamentary Standing Order," he said at the Dewan Rakyat, here today.

The Sultan of Kedah, Tuanku Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah, will be installed on April 11 at the Istana Negara in Jalan Duta.

Tuanku Abdul Halim took the oath of office as the 14th Yang di-Pertuan Agong on Dec 13 last year, succeeding Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin whose term of office ended on Nov 12, 2011.

This is the second time Tuanku Abdul Halim was chosen as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the first time was from Jan 21, 1970 to Sept 20, 1975 at the age of 43 years.

-- BERNAMA