Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim urged Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun to allow enough room for MPs to debate issues involving the national crisis when the august house convenes on July 26.
“I urge the Speaker to allow MPs to debate issues of national interest in the upcoming Dewan Rakyat session.
“It is important for us to scrutinise such matters as the country undergoes challenging times,” he said, in a letter.
After much pressure from the public and Istana Negara, Putrajaya finally relented and announced a special Parliamentary sitting, from July 26 until Aug 2.
However, parliamentarians from both sides of the aisle were aghast when the schedule showed that the days will be used by ministers as briefing sessions.
On that note, Anwar said that as Speaker, Azhar should allow MPs to play their role as check and balance to the Executive branch, by strengthening the institution further.
“We are not paid just to nod and give a green light to everything without scrutinising the matter thoroughly via debates.
“With that, it’s important for us to understand that the effectiveness of Government’s programmes in dealing with COVID-19 can only be improved when MPs are given freedom to express their opinions and ideas during debates,” the Port Dickson MP remarked. – July 17, 2021.
