Suhakam 2019 annual report will not be debated - minister

 

PARLIAMENT | The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia's (Suhakam) annual report will not be tabled for debate in Parliament this year, according to Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Takiyuddin Hassan.

The de facto law minister said there was not enough time for the debate to be carried out, unlike during previous years.

"The government does not plan to table a motion to debate this report as government affairs are the priority, based on the Standing Order. There also isn’t enough time.

“If any Member of Parliament (MP) is interested in discussing it indirectly, they can cite the report at any time during a debate," said Takiyuddin during the Ministers' Question Time session this morning.

He added that while Section 21 of the Suhakam Act (Act 597) stipulates the annual report must be presented to Parliament, there is no provision that the House should debate it.

The 2019 Suhakam report had been tabled in Parliament on Nov 4 as a Statute Paper but was not debated. The current Parliament sitting will end on Dec 15.

Takiyuddin was responding to Fahmi Fadzil (Harapan-Lembah Pantai) who asked whether the government would allow this year's Suhakam report to be tabled in Parliament as had been done in previous years.

In a subsequent written reply to Fahmi, Takiyuddin said that if the 2019 Suhakam report were to be debated, it should be submitted through a motion by the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in accordance with Meeting Rules 27 (3) of the Dewan Rakyat.

“In this case, the government needs to take into account the remaining sessions in December as well as bills that will follow and are related to the Supply Bill 2021,” he said. - Mkini