Tok Mat: Parliament should reconvene immediately, any more delay undemocratic

SEREMBAN: The Perikatan Nasional government should stop politicising the Yang di-Pertuan Agong's advice and reconvene Parliament as soon as possible, says Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan (pic).

The Umno deputy president said Parliament should be reconvened immediately as any more delays would also be undemocratic.

“Do not give excuses that Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Mustafa Billah Shah did not specify exactly which month Parliament should reconvene.

“The Government's announcement through the National Recovery Plan that Parliament can be opened by September or October is also not a certainty,” he said Thursday (June 17).

Mohamad said it had to be noted that the Malay Rulers had also agreed to allow their respective state legislative assemblies to sit.

On Wednesday (June 16), the King had advised that Parliament be reconvened as soon as possible after looking at all views presented by political leaders, the Special Independent Committee on the Emergency and experts as well as government agencies.

This, the King said, was to allow the Emergency Ordinances and the National Recovery Plan to be debated by members of the Dewan Rakyat.

The King had also held a special meeting with the Malay Rulers at Istana Negara earlier Wednesday.

However, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan said although the King had expressed his opinion that Parliament must reconvene as soon as possible, he did not specify when this should be done.

Takiyuddin added that Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had already said Parliament would reconvene in September or October when announcing the National Recovery Plan on Tuesday (June 15).

Takiyuddin also said the government was also studying hybrid Parliamentary sittings.

Mohamad said Parliament must reconvene soonest as it was an important platform to debate and discuss all recovery efforts following the Covid-19 pandemic.

“There is no guarantee that Parliament can reconvene in September or October as this would still be subject to various conditions such as Covid-19 case reduction and vaccination rate through the various phases that have been outlined.

“Also, Parliament does not require multiple phases and conditions to reconvene,” he added.