KUALA LUMPUR: Dewan Rakyat will convene for just one day when lawmakers meet for the first time this year on May 18, according to media reports.
Notice of the one-day meeting was said to have been issued by Dewan Rakyat secretary Riduan Rahmat to MPs on April 17 evening by email.
Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah is scheduled to deliver the Royal Address when opening Parliament at 10 am on May 18.
The Dewan secretariat also informed lawmakers that only laws and government matters related to the fight against Covid-19 would be the focus of proceedings, it was reported.
As such, the notice stated that there would be no question and answer sessions or motions raised in the House.
Parliament was to have met on March 9 but was postponed when Perikatan Nasional took over administration following the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan government.
On April 15, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof said Parliament would go ahead with proceedings amid the Covid-19 outbreak.
However, he said the Dewan’s meeting would be conducted under social distancing measures with advice from the Health Ministry.
He added only official media would be allowed to cover Dewan proceedings from the media room while a limited number of government officers would be allowed into Parliament. – April 17, 2020
