The truncation of Parliamentary proceedings on May 18 is a result of Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s reacting in panic towards Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s no-confidence motion, DAP’s Lim Kit Siang claimed today.
The Iskandar Puteri MP also added that this was in violation of the Dewan Rakyat Standing Orders.
“Is Parliament in Malaysia going to be locked down indefinitely, and Parliamentary oversight and scrutiny of the government suspended to allow for the return of abuses of power, rampant corruption, a revival of kleptocracy and widespread violation of human rights?” he asked in a statement.
The first Parliamentary meeting for this year was initially scheduled for March 9 to April 16 but was postponed to May 18 following the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan government and the formation of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) administration.
However, PN then shortened the meeting to just one day, citing the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Opposition has been pressuring Muhyiddin to extend Monday’s sitting to at least two days, citing concern over the lack of time to scrutinise the PN administration’s response to the Covid-19 crisis.
Parliament Speaker Tan Sri Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof had also accepted a submission by Dr Mahathir for a no-confidence motion to be tabled in Dewan Rakyat but did not specify a date for the vote to be called.
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah is expected to grace the opening ceremony of the First Meeting of the Third Term of the 14th Parliament on Monday. – MMO