Speaker, Senate president moot hybrid Parliament meet late Aug, early Sept

 

Dewan Rakyat Speaker Azhar Azizan Harun and Senate President Rais Yatim have proposed that a hybrid Parliament session be held in late August or the first week of September at the latest.

In a joint statement, the heads of the lower and upper houses said this would be preceded by a special Parliament sitting in August to debate and approve measures on the holding of a hybrid Parliament session.

The Yang di-Pertuan Agong had recently opined that Parliament should convene as soon as possible.

Azhar and Rais said while they upheld the king's advice, some time was needed to prepare for a hybrid Parliament sitting.

This was to sort out legal matters as well as administration, technical, procurement, supplies and training aspects.

"The (hybrid Parliament) special committee expects all legal aspects to be completed by the end of July if approved by the House Committee and the Standing Orders Committee."

With that assumption, they suggested that a special Parliament session be held in early August subject to strict Covid-19 prevention measures enforced by the National Security Council and the Health Ministry.

They said this sitting was important to ensure all MPs were familiar with the resolutions that needed to be accepted in order to hold a hybrid Parliament.

This includes amendments to the Standing Orders, definitions for a virtual sitting, streamlining MPs' duties and other technical matters.

The speaker and president said that if the proposals were approved by both houses, then "a bit more time" was needed to procure supplies, integrate the hybrid session with existing systems, conduct a trial run, accreditation and training for both Parliament officers and MPs.

"Taking these matters into account, it is expected that a hybrid Parliament can convene around the end of August or in the first week of September at the latest," they added.

From left: Senate President Rais Yatim, Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah and Dewan Rakyat Speaker Azhar Azizan Harun

The timeline proposed by the duo lines up with Putrajaya's estimates for when Parliament can convene.

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin had said that the House would convene once the country reached Phase Three of its Covid-19 exit plan.

Malaysia will enter Phase Three when it has less than 2,000 daily Covid-19 cases, Intensive Care Unit capacity at moderate levels, and with 40 percent of the population totally vaccinated.

The government estimates that these targets will be met in September.

Critics argue that this does not meet expectations for "as soon as possible" as said by the king.

Some, including Rais, had said that the king had the authority under the Emergency Ordinance to call for Parliament to convene.

However, law experts believe the Agong is still subject to Article 40(1) of the Federal Constitution which states that the king acts on the advice of the government.

Parliament's Standing Orders, meanwhile, also give the power to the prime minister as leader of the House, to set when Parliament should reconvene with a 28-day advance notice. - Mkini