Speaker, Senate president propose hybrid Parliament meeting by late August, early September

PETALING JAYA: A hybrid Parliament meeting can be held in late August or the first week of September at the latest, the heads of the lower and upper Houses proposed.

In a joint statement on Friday (June 25), Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun and Dewan Negara president Tan Sri Dr Rais Yatim said that a special Parliament sitting in August will be needed to debate and approve measures on the holding of a hybrid Parliament meeting.

"The special committee has reviewed technological and methodological aspects of holding a hybrid Parliament meeting and has proposed that a hybrid meeting should be held for the upper and lower Houses.

"The hybrid Parliament meeting will involve physical attendance of 26 lower house representatives to meet the lower house quorum and 10 senators of the upper house, while the others will have an option whether to be present either physically or virtually," they said, noting that physical attendance will require complying to the requirements outlined by the National Security Council and Health Ministry.

The duo said that the special committee is committed to enforcing the hybrid Parliament meeting as soon as possible.

"However, a little period of time is required to enforce the hybrid Parliament meeting as a few preparations related to the law, administrative, technical, procurement, supply as well as training need to be streamlined to ensure its smooth implementation," it said, adding that the Prime Minister has been informed and is supportive of the preparations required.

They said preparations are expected to be completed by the end of July, should the matter be approved by the Dewan committee and meeting rules committee, which will then be proceeded with a special Parliament sitting to approve the measures of the hybrid Parliament meeting.