Parliament resumes, only to go to recess

 

The Dewan Rakyat, which took a recess for 15 minutes, was adjourned for lunch immediately after resumption, with Speaker Azhar Azizan Harun conspicuously missing. (Bernama pic)

KUALA LUMPUR: The explosive Dewan Rakyat sitting resumed today with shouts of “Where is the Speaker? (Azhar Azizan Harun)” from MPs as deputy speaker Mohd Rashid Hasnon emerged from his chambers.

However, before the MPs could get answers on the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s revelation that he had not consented to the revocation of the emergency ordinances (EOs), Rashid announced that proceedings will only resume at 2.30pm.

Hearing this, opposition MPs questioned if the revocation of the EOs will be debated after the break, although no reply was given.

Earlier, the sitting had been suspended for 15 minutes after the House erupted into chaos following the revelation that the revocation of the EOs did not get the King’s consent.

Shouts of “derhaka” (treason) and calls for Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin to “letak jawatan” (resign) echoed in the Dewan Rakyat as Anwar Ibrahim read out the King’s statement.

Rashid compounded matters when he dismissed the King’s statement as just a “media statement”.

MPs then demanded that Azhar, Muhyiddin and law minister Takiyuddin Hassan be present in the Dewan Rakyat to answer on the matter. All three were not in the Dewan at the time.

On Monday, Takiyuddin told the House that the EOs had been revoked on July 21 but steadfastly refused to answer if the King had given his consent to the revocation. - FMT