De facto Law Minister Takiyuddin Hassan today promised that MPs will be allowed to debate when the "special" five-day Dewan Rakyat sitting kicks off on July 26.
He said there are three main agendas for the sitting - the tabling of the proclamation of emergency 2021, the proclamation of emergency relating to the Gerik and Bugaya by-elections and a briefing session by ministers on the emergency and Covid-19.
Takiyuddin (above) added that Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin had written to the Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara speakers requesting for the MPs to be allowed to debate and ask questions.
"It shows that the government is transparent. The MPs can take part and air their views, in line with the decree of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong," he said when met by reporters at an event to hand over food aid in Kota Bharu today.
Critics had pointed out that the agenda for the Dewan Rakyat sitting outlined five days of ministerial briefings. So far, parliamentarians have not been asked to submit questions that would have occurred during a normal Dewan Rakyat sitting.
The Agong had on July 29 decreed that MPs should debate the proclamation of emergency and emergency ordinances.
Legal experts warned that if the emergency ordinances were not voted on by Parliament, its effect will extend for six months after the expiry of the emergency by virtue of Article 150(7) of the Federal Constitution.
Parti Pejuang Tanah Air (Pejuang) leader Dr Mahathir Mohamad had called the upcoming Dewan Rakyat sitting a facade meant to hoodwink the public into thinking that Parliament was functioning normally.
Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim had urged the Dewan Rakyat speaker to ensure that debates are held or Parliament risked becoming a rubber stamp. - FMT
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.