Number allowed into next Dewan Rakyat session being discussed

 

The number of people including MPs allowed to be at the next Parliament session beginning Sept 6 will be decided ahead of time as a preventive measure against the spread of Covid-19, said Deputy Speaker Mohd Rashid Hasnon.

He said this is to ensure the session runs smoothly and to prevent Covid-19 transmissions, as what had happened during the recent special five-day sitting at the end of July.

In this regard, he said the Dewan Rakyat Committee, based on advice by the Health Ministry and the National Security Council, will have discussions with both government and opposition chief whips soon.

“As done before this, the Dewan Rakyat Committee will call in both chief whips for discussion (on attendance numbers).

“Learn from what happened during the recent special sitting, we need more solid prevention measures in place,” he said.

Rashid (above) was speaking to Bernama after handing out food baskets to 50 veteran artistes in a programme organised by the Malaysian Veteran Artistes Welfare Association in Desa Melawati, Kuala Lumpur today.

The most recent sitting was supposed to take place from July 26 to 29 and Aug 2. However, it only met for four days and was postponed after Covid cases were detected in the Parliament building.

Up to Aug 8, a total of 88 positive cases have been detected involving individuals who attended the special sitting.

As for the motion of confidence on Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin that is expected to be tabled in the upcoming meeting, Rashid said Parliament has yet to receive such a motion.

“We have yet to receive it to date. For government motions, the submission period is not that far off from the date of the sitting as compared to private motions which need to be submitted 14 days before,” he said.

Prior to this, Muhyiddin said his legitimacy as prime minister and the Perikatan Nasional government’s position will be determined in Parliament in September through a vote of confidence.

Meanwhile, Rashid said MPs are currently being notified to prepare their questions and other matters ahead of the next sitting.

The first meeting of the Fourth Session of the 14th Parliament will sit for 15 days from Sept 6 to 30, while the second meeting will run for 32 days from Oct 25 to Dec 16.

The Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah will officiate the opening ceremony on Sept 6.

- Bernama