KUALA LUMPUR, July 29 ― Members of Parliament who were among the crowd at the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex compound yesterday could not be barred from attending the Dewan Rakyat sitting as long as they do not show Covid-19 symptoms, said its Speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun.
However, he said it is important for MPs to abide by the standard operating procedure (SOP) to prevent the spread of Covid-19, both inside and outside the House.
“We also do not know whether there were Covid-19 positive people (present at the court compound) who have infected MPs who were together with them yesterday.
“I think as long as it is not proven they (MPs) are Covid-19 positive, we cannot stop them from entering the House,” he said today.
He was replying to a question from RSN Rayer (PH-Jelutong) on safety in the Dewan Rakyat after several MPs attended the gathering outside the court complex, some of whom allegedly did not wear face masks.
Datuk Mohd Hatta Md Ramli (PH-Lumut) then interjected to ask whether the MPs involved should undergo Covid-19 swab tests, to which Azhar said it was up to the Health Ministry to decide.
Yesterday, photographs of a big crowd gathering outside the court complex without observing the SOP were carried in the mainstream and social media.
Police also had to use loudspeakers to remind the crowd to practise social distancing.
They had gathered there since early morning to wait for the High Court's judgement on former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's SRC International Sdn Bhd corruption trial. ― Bernama
