Previous Parliament sessions sat till 3am, says Takiyuddin

KUALA LUMPUR: Perikatan Nasional chief whip Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan (pic) has questioned the government’s seriousness in seeing through the Constitutional amendments on citizenship laws.

He said that previously, Parliament sittings had been extended to even 3am to see pressing government business through.

“We had meetings until 3am because government matters take precedence. Maybe this happened because they did not fulfil requirements for the Constitutional amendment,” said Takiyuddin at a press conference in Parliament on Wednesday (March 27).

Takiyuddin also said the failure to complete the second reading of the much-anticipated Constitutional amendment to citizenship laws reflects a lack of seriousness by the government to see through the amendments.

Takiyuddin also doubted whether the government had fulfilled the requirements for such Constitutional amendments before the Bill was brought for a second reading on Wednesday.

"We would like to state that the events of today, where the government failed to complete the second reading of the constitutional amendment Bill, indicate two things.

"Firstly, the government is not serious about carrying out this Constitutional amendment. Whatever the reasons may be, they are not taking it seriously.

"Secondly, we feel and we can sense that the government has failed to comply with the requirements before bringing the Constitutional amendment today," he said.

Under Article 159, Clause 5, any Bill involving citizenship - which is under Part Three of the Federal Constitution - must first obtain the consent of the Conference of Rulers and any Bill amending it cannot be passed without its approval, said Takiyuddin.

"So we believe the government has failed. I have been a minister in charge of Parliament before. If the matters listed in the Constitution Amendment Bill are on the agenda, you have to deal with them, following Standing Order 17, prioritising government matters.

"Is the government facing external or internal pressure?" he questioned.

The Bill to amend the Federal Constitution in regards to citizenship laws was tabled for a second reading in Parliament on Wednesday (March 27).

However, the Bill was not debated or voted on in Parliament despite much anticipation.