Parliament stops clock for first time in 2016

As the Dewan Rakyat struggles to attend to items in the Order Paper before the last day of sitting tomorrow, the August House has stopped the clock for the first time in its 2016 session.

While the clock was ticking towards midnight, Deputy Plantation and Commodities Minister Noriah Kasnon moved a motion to suspend the House’s clock so that it can conduct its business beyond midnight.

Traditionally parliament will have to adjourn its sitting for the day, at the stroke of midnight.

The motion was seconded by Deputy Health Minister Hilmi Yahaya and passed by voice vote.

As the clock was stopped, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar was wrapping up on Forest Research Institute Malaysia 2016 Bill at the policy stage.

Yesterday, the government announced that the House must resolve its deliberation on three bills, namely the Legal Profession (Amendment) Bill 2015, the Child (Amendment) Bill 2015 and the Forest Research Institute Malaysia 2016 Bill, as well as four motions by the finance ministry before adjournment.

Parliament was later adjourned at 12.35am after passage of the Forest Research Institute Malaysia 2016 Bill and the four finance ministry motions.

Stopping the clock is the practice of some Commonwealth legislatures to enable them to conduct business past midnight.

In Malaysia, this is done by invoking Standing Order 90 to suspend Standing Order 12, which stipulates the time for each Parliament sitting.

Four times in 2015

This has been done several times before, though this will be the first time it happened this year.

In 2015, the motion was used and passed three times in a single week in April, which among others saw the passage of controversial bills such as the Prevention of Terrorism Bill 2015 and the Sedition Act (Amendment) Bill 2015.

In passing the Sedition Act (Amendment) Bill 2015, the house had sat for 18 hours, which is believed to be the longest day in Malaysian parliamentary history.

The parliament clock stopped again for fourth time in the tabling of the 11th Malaysia Plan.

The practice angered some lawmakers on both sides of the political divide, who said they could not work into the wee hours and still be expected to be effective.

Especially since there was no urgency in some of the bills that were rushed through Parliament.

Some have also argued that this may be done to hamper debates for controversial Bills so that it can be passed without much ado. -Mkini