KUALA LUMPUR, May 3 — Iskandar Puteri MP Lim Kit Siang has yet again criticised the Perikatan Nasional (PN) administration’s decision to hold a one-day Parliamentary sitting.
In a press statement today, he claimed that the ruling coalition can be seen as setting a bad example for their disregard of the Federal Constitution and Parliamentary standing orders.
“Public trust and confidence are the key factors in this new battle in the invisible war against Covid-19 — and the government must be at the forefront to set such an example.
“If the government sets the bad example of disregard for the Malaysian Constitution and Parliamentary standing orders, how is it going to generate trust and confidence and therefore support and solidarity from the Malaysian general public for the invisible war effort against Covid-19?
“The convening of a one-day Parliament is against the Constitution and the Parliamentary standing orders as this is neither provided for by the Constitution nor the standing orders,” he said.
The Opposition lawmaker added that MPs had received an email notice from the August house on April 17 stating that there will be no “oral question sessions, written questions, motions, and special chambers” during the one-day sitting on May 18.
The only item on the agenda that is allowed is the presentation of government bills.
The senior DAP leader argued that this action is “putting the cart before the horse”.
“Standing Orders 14(1) set out what should be the regular Order of Business of any parliamentary sitting, and Question Time is high on the list of the regular Order of Business, ranked No. 8, while the presentation of government bills for first reading is rated much lower and ranked No. 14.
“There is a provision under SO 26(i) to suspend Standing Orders and to change the regular “Order of Business” but this must be by way of a parliamentary motion which does not require notice to be given and passed by the House.
“However, until such a motion is passed by the Dewan Rakyat, the order of business is as set out by SO 14(1),” he elaborated.
Lim further accused that Parliament was premature in sending out notices for a one-day sitting and in changing the regular order of business under SO 14 (i) when such changes are only valid when the motion has been passed by the Lower House.
He added that even the Speaker of the House has no powers to suspend the standing orders and called upon his former ally turned nemesis Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to respect and uphold the Federal Constitution and the standing orders by ensuring a full Parliamentary session.
