AN Opposition MP today lashed out at Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun for trying to play Prime Minister Tan Sri Mahiaddin Yassin’s “mouthpiece” over reconvening the Parliament.
“Azhar is getting out of line, given the rise in public anger and the decision made by the Conference of Rulers yesterday.
“I suggest for our Speaker to grow a backbone and do the right thing,” Klang MP Charles Santiago told FocusM.
Last night, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong al-Sultan Abdullah Almarhum Sultan Ahmad Shah said that he was of the opinion that the Parliament should be reconvened as soon as possible to allow MPs to debate issues such as the Emergency and National Recovery Plan.
His Majesty issued the statement after chairing a special Conference of Rulers meeting yesterday at the Istana Negara, following several meetings held with chiefs of political parties, the Special Independent Committee on the Emergency 2021 and other top Government officials last week.
“The Agong also stressed the need for a strong and stable Government that can work effectively to contain COVID-19 and revive the economy.
“The Parliament is an important platform for elected leaders to meet and discuss various issues, particularly those pertaining to the pandemic,” the Comptroller of the Royal Household Datuk Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin was reported saying, in a statement.
The Conference of Rulers also unanimously agreed that there was no need to extend the state of Emergency beyond the Aug 1 deadline announced earlier.
This morning, Utusan Malaysia reported Azhar as defending Mahiaddin’s timeline of reconvening the Parliament somewhere between September and October as per the National Recovery Plan Strategy announced two day ago.
Respect separation of powers
Calling it a “rational timeline”, the Speaker reiterated that the prime minister has the authority to set the date on when the Parliament can reconvene.
“The prime minister has the right to call for the session according to the Federal Constitution. He had given reasons for his decision which is COVID-19 and others.
“So, let’s wait for the date to be set,” Azhar was reported saying.
Hurling brickbats on Azhar’s views, Santiago said that while Istana Negara did not mention a specific timeline on when the Parliament should be reconvened, the former should read into the spirit of the statement.
He added that the Agong had made it clear on the importance of having the Parliament in session to discuss measures to contain the pandemic.
“This is an unprecedented slap on Mahiaddin’s Government but Azhar did not get the message. Just like the prime minister, he is trying to paint a rosy picture out of it,” the DAP leader retorted.
On that note, Santiago reminded Azhar that as Dewan Rakyat Speaker, he has the authority to call for a sitting based on the concept of separation of powers.
“The three branches of the Government are independent of one another. If Azhar doesn’t do this, he will be going against the wishes of the Rulers and public,” Santiago remarked. – June 17, 2021.
