The Dewan Rakyat will be reopened for five days for a special sitting from 26 July until 2 August 2021, but only with an agenda of ‘briefings by the Ministers’.
Why it matters? Parliamentarians were expecting to debate on the National Recovery Plan (NRP), emergency ordinances and pandemic when the Parliament reopens.
What they’re saying? With the opposition and backbenchers not allowed to participate in the debate, this step have silenced the voices of the people, claim some of the Member of Parliaments.
- If a parliamentary sitting is being called just for (ministers) to give briefings for five days, just record a video and upload it to YouTube so we can watch, former Prime Minister Najib Razak posted on Facebook.
- We’ve been under lockdown for months yet (daily) cases have now exceeded 13,000. I’m paid by the rakyat, I must bring their voice. – Syed Saddiq, Muar MP.
- This means MPs can only ask ministers questions in Parliament from September. It must be nice to be a Perikatan Nasional (PN) minister, you don’t have to answer anyone for nine months. – Hannah Yeoh, Segambut MP.
- Pejuang will not attend the coming parliamentary sitting if debates and the party’s two motions are disallowed. – Former Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohammad
- It’s just to cheat that a parliamentary sitting is being held. But not the way we think. They can issue a white paper. – Langkawi MP
- The role of check and balance by the Dewan Rakyat must be empowered, and not stopped. – Anwar Ibrahim, Port Dickson MP.
The special sitting from July 26 to July 29 and Aug 2 will be the first sitting since Parliament was suspended following the declaration of emergency on Jan 12.