PETALING JAYA: The government will not extend the Parliament meeting scheduled for a day on May 18, saying the request from Pakatan Harapan was “immature and narrow-minded”.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan said the former ruling coalition seemed to also fail to understand the country’s priorities in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.
He said the government’s decision to convene the Dewan Rakyat for a single day was based on the advice of the Health Ministry and not to get into “a popularity contest”.
“Our decision is based on the current situation and developments, which involves efforts to control and end the Covid-19 pandemic as well as assist the people to overcome the after-effects,” he added in a statement yesterday.
Takiyuddin, who oversees parliamentary affairs and matters involving the law, said the government’s decision was also based on existing rules and laws.
He said that the main concern of the government remained the safety of all those attending the meeting.
“At a time when we have almost succeeded in containing the Covid-19 pandemic, the government is not willing to take risks,” he added.
On Friday, the Pakatan Presidential Council stated that it would send a representative to meet Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof to seek an extension to the one-day Parliament meeting amid discontent over the barring of questions from MPs.
It said debates and discussions on the government’s efforts to address the Covid-19 crisis must be given attention in Parliament.
The statement was issued jointly by PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng and Amanah president Mohamad Sabu.
MPs have been informed that the focus would be on government-related matters, with Question Time and motions disallowed.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan said the former ruling coalition seemed to also fail to understand the country’s priorities in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.
He said the government’s decision to convene the Dewan Rakyat for a single day was based on the advice of the Health Ministry and not to get into “a popularity contest”.
“Our decision is based on the current situation and developments, which involves efforts to control and end the Covid-19 pandemic as well as assist the people to overcome the after-effects,” he added in a statement yesterday.
Takiyuddin, who oversees parliamentary affairs and matters involving the law, said the government’s decision was also based on existing rules and laws.
He said that the main concern of the government remained the safety of all those attending the meeting.
“At a time when we have almost succeeded in containing the Covid-19 pandemic, the government is not willing to take risks,” he added.
On Friday, the Pakatan Presidential Council stated that it would send a representative to meet Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof to seek an extension to the one-day Parliament meeting amid discontent over the barring of questions from MPs.
It said debates and discussions on the government’s efforts to address the Covid-19 crisis must be given attention in Parliament.
The statement was issued jointly by PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng and Amanah president Mohamad Sabu.
MPs have been informed that the focus would be on government-related matters, with Question Time and motions disallowed.
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