There is no longer any reason for Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin to withhold parliamentary sittings after MPs, who are among the early Covid-19 vaccine recipients, are inoculated.
In a statement today, DAP's Kota Kinabalu MP Chan Foong Hin called for the next Parliament session to be held in May.
"I cautiously welcome the announcement by the prime minister yesterday that all elected representatives regardless of political (party) will be eligible to receive the Covid-19 vaccine under Phase 1 of Malaysia's National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme.
"Upon completion of Phase 1 of the said immunisation programme, there is no longer any reason to withhold or suspend parliamentary sittings.
"Phase 1 will run from February 26 until April. In the circumstances, Parliament should reconvene in May, immediately after the end of Phase 1," he said.
Chan said the elected representatives by then would be able to safely carry out their duties without the need to worry about getting infected by Covid-19 or unknowingly transmitting the virus to others.
He argued that the national emergency is no reason to suspend parliamentary sittings and this will do no good to the country.
"The declaration of a state of emergency should not put democracy and rule of law at peril, and therefore parliamentary sittings must go on even during the state of emergency.
"There are many agendas that are overdue, such as the tabling of the 12th Malaysia Plan (2021-2025) and perhaps even the tabling of a supplementary budget for 2021 to deal with the increase of Covid-19 cases," he added.
He said the people are getting angry that 222 MPs are still drawing their monthly salaries despite not having to attend any Parliament sessions.
To allay any concerns, he said all parliamentary officers and assistants to elected representatives who will attend the Parliament sessions should also be given the vaccine.
Parliament was suspended during the nationwide emergency announced on Jan 12.
In justifying the state of emergency, Muhyiddin said it was necessary to curb the spread of Covid-19 but critics accused him of using the proclamation to cling on to power after losing his majority in the Dewan Rakyat.
The emergency took effect on Jan 11 and will last until Aug 1. During this time, Muhyiddin's government can govern by decree.
The opposition alleged that Muhyiddin has the political motivation of avoiding elections and parliamentary sittings while being able to govern unchecked.
The Dewan Rakyat was scheduled to meet for the first time this year from March 8 to April 8. - Mkini
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