CONSIDERING the current infection rate and efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic in the country, the Parliament is expected to convene in a hybrid manner towards the end of August or the latest by the first week of September.
Such is the latest potential timeline issued by both the Dewan Rakyat speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun and his Dewan Negara counterpart Senator Tan Sri Dr Rais Yatim.
“In line with the King’s message on June 16 (following a meeting of Malay rulers), the Malaysian Parliament wishes to express its preparedness to re-convene in accordance with the Federal Constitution and Parliamentary Standing Orders as well as all existing national laws,” said Azhar and Rais in a joint media statement.
In view of the COVID-19 spread situation, which is still in the containment stage as well as the enforcement of full movement control order (FMCO), the Malaysian Parliament shall introduce an alternative sitting arrangement to reduce the exposure risk, according to the duo.
As such, a special hybrid parliamentary sitting committee chaired by both the speakers of Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara has been established with their members being the deputy speakers and secretaries of both the lower house and upper house as well as the Malaysian Parliamentary secretariat under the leadership of the Chief Administrator of the Malaysian Parliament.
Accordingly, a special committee which has studied and evaluated both the technology and methodology of a hybrid sitting has proposed that the Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara can re-convene in that specific manner.
Generally, the hybrid sitting entails the physical presence of 26 Members of Parliaments (MPs) to fulfill the quorum need and 10 senators in the case of Dewan Negara while the rest have the option to be present physically (subject to the condition of meeting stipulated by the National Security Council or the Health Ministry (MOH) at the time of the meeting session) or virtually.
With regard to the King’s request for the Parliament to re-convene soonest, the special committee gave its commitment to do its utmost best to ensure the hybrid sitting session can manifest within the shortest possible time frame.
Nevertheless, the special committee also highlighted the need for “some leeway” for preparations to be made from the legal, administrative, technical, acquisition, supply and training aspects to ensure the smoothness of proceedings at both houses.
“Issues related to preparations have been conveyed to the Prime Minister as chairman of the council and the feedback has been very encouraging,” the joint statement said.
In the event that the special committee is able to complete the legislation aspects by end-July, chances are that a Special Parliamentary Session can take place in early August.
This special session is vital for Parliamentarians to participate in the approval of resolutions pertaining to holding hybrid Parliamentary sessions, ie amendments to meeting rules,
definition of virtual sitting, coordination of responsibilities among Parliamentarians and other related matters.
Even if all the proposals are received by both houses, still a little time is required for the Malaysian Parliament to obtain supply, integrate the hybrid sitting system with the existing system, conduct trial-run, commissioning and provision of training to all staff and Parliamentarians. – June 25, 2021
