Opposition's top five issue joint demand for two-week sitting

The opposition's top five leaders have issued a joint statement urging the government to hold a two-week Dewan Rakyat sitting.

The statement was inked by Bersatu chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad, PKR president Anwar Ibrahim, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, Warisan president Mohd Shafie Apdal and Amanah president Mohamad Sabu.

The quintet said there is no excuse for the government to limit the sitting to a single day on May 18 since parliament had set a standard operating procedure on how it should be conducted.

Furthermore, the opposition leaders also noted that the government has allowed the re-opening of almost all economic sectors under the conditional movement control order, effective today.

"So there is no reason or restriction for parliament to sit beyond the one day which has been announced," they added.

"A longer sitting will allow for in-depth debates of issues and allow cabinet members to carry out their ministries' legislative agenda.

"Therefore, we urge the government to call for a full Dewan Rakyat sitting by increasing the number of days in session to at least two weeks," said the leaders.

Earlier today, DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang urged Malaysians to support an online petition demanding a two-week Parliament sitting to focus on the Covid-19 pandemic.

Lim, who is the MP for Iskandar Puteri, said Malaysians who want to see parliamentary democracy flourish must lend their signatures to the campaign initiated by reform movement Aliran last month.

De facto law minister Takiyuddin Hassan yesterday maintained that Parliament will only sit for a day despite the reopening of the country's economy as the Covid-19 situation improves.

Takiyuddin also said the government had already taken into account the Harapan presidential council's views over what they claim to be an attempt to stymie the legislature's check and balance role. - Mkini