No-debate Dewan Rakyat could be a fiery affair

 

Many say it is wrong to call it a sitting when no motions are going to be debated or votes taken on any bills. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: With just a day to go before the special Parliament sitting ordered by the Yang diPertuan Agong, Malaysians should brace themselves for fireworks as the MPs will only see briefings, questions and answers but no debate or vote as demanded by the opposition.

After a six-month break, the Dewan Rakyat will sit again with Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin briefing MPs on the National Recovery Plan, and if some think that it is going to be a tame affair, they are likely to be mistaken.

According to the order paper for the special five-day sitting from Monday, the briefing will be followed by a question-and-answer session where MPs can seek further explanations and give their views.

Four other ministers will then give their briefings and respond to issues raised by the MPs present in the house.

Also on the agenda is the discussion on 12 Emergency ordinances on Monday, including the declaration of Emergency, the use of the National Trust Fund (KWAN) money and minimum standards for workers’ accommodation.

The house is going through some uncharted waters as this is the first special sitting. Many are saying it is a misnomer to call it a sitting when no motions are going to be debated or votes taken on any bills.

As a result, many are expecting fireworks and walkouts throughout the five days that have been set aside, which some have described as an “unparliamentary” session.

Pejuang was the bluntest of them all when it said its MPs would walk out if it turns out to be nothing more than a briefing by the Perikatan Nasional-led (PN) government to “legitimise” many wrongs it has done during the Emergency.

“We have decided to attend, at least at the beginning. If we find that it’s just a briefing, we may decide to go out,” its chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad said, adding that the Emergency was not legitimate as the Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara were not consulted.

Klang MP Charles Santiago said the special sitting was obviously rushed to satisfy the royal decree to hold a parliamentary sitting before Aug 1 to debate the Emergency ordinances.

“It is clear that the ordinances must be tabled to be debated before a vote is taken. However, this is not going to happen. All the relevant ministers are merely going to lecture the MPs,” he told FMT.

“If we can see fireworks and walkouts during normal sessions, this special sitting coming at a time when the Covid-19 numbers are super high with no chance given for debates will see a heated Dewan.”

Constitutional requirement

Former Dewan Rakyat speaker Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof Ariff said it is a constitutional requirement for Parliament to debate and pass emergency ordinances and this should not be overlooked.

“The Constitution is supreme and it overrides Parliament. It is a constitutional requirement that the ordinances are tabled for discussion and approval. This is basic accountability in a democracy,” he said.

He said the 1978 emergency declaration for Kelantan was passed by Parliament before it was implemented, but the scenario was different as the Dewan Rakyat was in session at that time, adding that then prime minister Hussein Onn was known to be a stickler for the rule of law.

“If there is no vote taken, all the other bills passed under the ordinance will continue automatically for another six months,” he said, adding that a vote against any one ordinance would mean that the government loses its majority.

“Only if it loses a series of votes in Parliament can one assume that it has lost its majority. This is by convention,” he said.

Santiago reckons that it is unlikely that any party would table a vote of no-confidence at a time when the nation is facing such a huge Covid-19 tragedy.

“No, it does not look possible as it will obviously not go down well with the people who are looking up to the politicians to lift them out of distress. Looks like the PN is fearing its own shadow,” he said.

On Thursday, Beruas MP Ngeh Koo Ham filed four motions seeking the annulment of the proclamation of Emergency and three emergency ordinances during the sitting, saying they were submitted on July 19.

“Speaker Azhar Harun must comply because Article 150(3) of the Federal Constitution requires the aforementioned laws to be scrutinised by Parliament. Breaching this clause is tantamount to breaching his oath of office.

“The rights conferred on members of both houses to decide on the proclamation of Emergency and the emergency ordinances by the Federal Constitution must be honoured and the speaker has no power whatsoever to take away these rights,” he said.

With all this seething, a PN source said they were uncertain on how MPs from the “court cluster” are going to handle the sitting, saying that no one knows if they have something up their sleeves.

“Their roles are crucial and will be closely watched,” the source added. - FMT