KUALA LUMPUR, June 22 — The question on who will fill the first four blocks of Barisan Nasional (BN) seats in the Dewan Rakyat after the prime minister and the deputy prime minister has been finally answered.

At the first meeting of the first session of the 13th Parliament on June 24 the MP for Cameron Highlands, Datuk Seri G. Palanivel, who is also MIC president, will take his seat next to Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin with the MP for Padang Rengas Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz at the first front row.

The Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah is scheduled to open the 13th Parliament meeting at 10am on June 25.

Dewan Rakyat secretary Datuk Rosmee Hamzah said the sitting arrangement for opposition members would be based on seniority in Pakatan Rakyat (PR) which comprises PKR, PAS and the DAP.

“This is the sitting they requested. They wrote a letter to request seating according to seniority in PR and not in blocks of individual parties,” she said.

According to the arrangement set, the MP for Permatang Pauh, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, will maintain his seat as opposition leader.

Taking his place next to Anwar is Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang (PAS-Marang), followed by Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Gelang Patah) and Lim Guan Eng (DAP-Bagan).

Rosmee said on June 24, apart from the swearing-in of members of Parliament, there will also be a selection and promulgation of the Dewan Rakyat Speaker as well as two deputy speakers.

She said June 26 and 27 as well as July 1 to 4 had been set for debate on the Royal Address while July 8 to 10 had been scheduled for replies from the ministries. 

Meanwhile, the tabling of Bills and government matters have been set for July 11 to 18.

Among the bills to be tabled are the Islamic Religion Administration Bill (Federal Territories) 2013; the Syariah Court Procedures (Federal Territories) Bill 2013 which come under the Prime Minister’s Department.

Due to the time constraint, three Bills may only be read for the first reading, she said.

“I expect the most urgent Bills to be read at this session will be the Supplementary Supply Bill and the reallocations for ministries with changes in name and functions,” she said. — Bernama