KUALA LUMPUR, 13 May 2020:
The Dewan Rakyat meeting scheduled for Monday May 18 will only see the King, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah’s Royal Address for the opening of the third session of the Parliament.
Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof said he has received the notification letter signed by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as the Leader of the House – stating the government has decided that the agenda for the first meeting of the third session of the 14th Parliament, which will take place for one day, amended to focus only on the royal address.
He said this was due to the fact that the Covid-19 pandemic in the country has yet to be fully over.
The royal address will begin at 10am with both Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara holding their meetings simultaneously. The one-day meeting will end after the royal address, Mohamad Ariff said in a statement today.
The amendment to the meeting agenda was in line with Standing Orders 11(2) and 15(2) of the Dewan Rakyat.
Mohamad Ariff said Dewan Rakyat secretary Riduan Rahmat will issue a new notice relating to the meeting to all MPs.
On May 8, the Dewan Rakyat speaker said he has accepted an application for a motion to be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat to determine that Muhyiddin does not command the confidence of the majority of the house.
He said Langkawi MP and former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had made the application under Standing Order 27 (3) which pertains to the required number of days’ notice.
MPs must attend the parliamentary sitting on Monday (May 18) or face disciplinary action, said Dewan Rakyat deputy speaker Datuk Mohd Rashid Hasnon.
He said the sitting was important as it has been put on hold for six months and that there should not be any reason for the MPs to be absent unless they have solid written justification such as health problem. “If they fail to attend, it may affect their status as an MP.”
Mohd Rashid said as a safety measure, all Parliament staff who would be on duty on Monday have to undergo Covid-19 screening today, while MPs and senators would be screened tomorrow and Friday.
– Bernama
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