Parliament live broadcast as usual for May 18 sitting - speaker

The Parliament sitting on May 18 will be broadcast live as usual, said Dewan Rakyat Speaker Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof.

However, Mohamad Arif (above) said not all media may be allowed to enter Parliament due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

"You may have to rely on the live stream. But RTM and Bernama will be there," Ariff told Malaysiakini.

At present, media personnel providing coverage for Parliament are either stationed at the media room to monitor proceedings, or in the Parliament lobby to doorstep MPs.

Those in the media room are seated at half cubicles and monitor the House debate via close circuit television.

Deputy Dewan Rakyat Speaker Mohd Rashid Hasnon yesterday said there might be tight controls on the House which could mean only parliamentarians, special government officers and ministers are allowed into Parliament when it is in session.

Mohd Rashid added that when the sitting does resume, the King’s address and Supplementary Supply Bill would be among the main agendas.

Ariff said that lawmakers will be spaced out with a one seat gap between them, and that there should be enough room once everything is re-arranged.

Meanwhile, Ariff declined to comment on speculation that the Perikatan Nasional government would move to replace him as speaker.

"No comment. I'll only go by the standing orders and the Federal Constitution," the former apex judge said.

According to the Federal Constitution, a sitting speaker can only be removed if he resigns, if the Dewan Rakyat moves to do so, and if he is disqualified for getting into a commercial business whether he remunerated or not.

Meanwhile, it was reported that PN will nominate Penggerang MP Azalina Othman Said (above) to replace Teluk Intan MP Nga Kor Ming as the Dewan Rakyat deputy speaker.

The last Parliament sitting was held on Dec 5, 2019. It was supposed to have resumed on March 9, however, it was postponed following the ouster of the Pakatan Harapan government by PN.

Muhyiddin Yassin, formerly home minister under the Harapan regime, was then made the country’s eighth prime minister. - Mkini