KUALA LUMPUR, May 15 — Klang MP Charles Santiago has suggested that the first Parliamentary meeting of the year may not satisfy the requirements of the Federal Constitution as all debate has been barred.
The meeting will be held on May 18 to make up for the March Parliamentary meeting that was postponed following the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan government.
However, the new Perikatan Nasional administration has shortened the meeting to just a single day and will move to adjourn it after the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s Royal Address.
Today, Santiago asked if the Royal Address alone satisfied the constitutional requirement for the Agong to convene a parliamentary meeting within six months of the last sitting to avoid the automatic dissolution of the federal legislature.
“If it does not, then isn’t this in violation of Article 55(1) of the Federal Constitution, which says the King shall not allow for an elapse of six months from the last sitting?
“Isn’t the government showing total disregard for the Federal Constitution and Parliamentary standing orders just to remain in power?” Santiago asked.
The government truncated the meeting to a single day without debate after citing the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) as the reason.
Opposition leaders previously suggested that the meeting be conducted virtually if social distancing measures were a barrier for their physical presence.
However, they have gone on to question the sincerity of the government’s given reason, after pointing out that all 222 federal lawmakers were allowed to attend the meeting once they have been tested for Covid-19.
They argued that this meant there was no reason not to continue with the full meeting or at least extend it for a few days to allow oversight of the government’s massive stimulus spending for Covid-19.
