KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 14 — Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun today allowed three MPs under home quarantine for Covid-19 to attend the next Budget Supply Bill voting.
He said the Health Ministry had made new leeways for those under the home surveillance order (HSO) that makes it possible for MPs to be Parliament.
However, he added that they must get prior permission from Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah and will be required to be escorted in an ambulance and wear full personal protective equipment (PPE) while in Parliament.
“I was made to understand this morning that there are three MPs who have asked permission to come, and they will be brought by an ambulance wearing full PPE, and we have prepared a specific room for them where they will be placed,” Azhar told the Dewan Rakyat.
It is understood he was referring to Tenggara MP Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba who is also the health minister, Tapah MP Datuk Seri M. Saravanan who is also human resources minister, and Batu MP P. Prabakaran. The trio are currently under a 14-day HSO.
“If they want to vote, they need to put on a new PPE set and they will come into the public gallery where their votes will be taken, where the vote counter and witnesses will be made to use visors.
“After the voting, they will be made to leave the gallery so we limit their contact with the rest,” Azhar added.
Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii had earlier asked the Speaker to elaborate on the new leeways accorded to quarantined MPs.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan was yesterday reported by several news agencies saying that MPs under HSO will be allowed to attend parliamentary sittings and even participate in voting.
