Shafie
KOTA KINABALU: President of Warisan, Datuk Seri Panglima Mohd Shafie Apdal, has called for a conventional parliamentary session to thoroughly discuss Covid-19 issues in the country instead of having a hybrid sitting.
He said the time has come for such an important legislative body to meet as the Covid-19 situation in Malaysia was getting from bad to worse despite the state of emergency.
“Parliamentary sessions were suspended in January this year following the declaration of a state of emergency to deal with the pandemic. However, the number of cases of infection is still increasing rapidly while the vaccination rate is low.
“We cannot allow this situation to get even worse and now is the time for a conventional parliamentary sitting. It is fundamental and constitutional for parliament to meet.
“Conducting a hybrid parliamentary session seems like a half-baked effort. It is not the answer to this crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
“This is a serious matter and must be dealt with seriously,” he said in a statement on Saturday.
When the state of emergency was declared on 12th January this year, the daily number of Covid-19 cases then was 3,309 with cumulative cases at 141,533. The number of new deaths was four and the total number of deaths then was 559.
As of 3rd June 2021, while still under a state of emergency, the numbers have surged with the daily number of Covid-19 cases recorded at 8,209 and cumulative cases at 595,374. The number of new deaths on that date was 103 and the total of deaths was 3,096.
Shafie said it was clear that the government had failed to manage the Covid-19 crisis and appeared to be struggling with it much to the people’s frustration and anger.
The economy of our country hashybrid parliamentary session seems like a half-baked effort reached a point where businesses are having to close down and the people are crying out for help after having lost their livelihood.
Economists, analysts, and industries have aired their opinions and made recommendations on what Malaysia can do to prevent further decline.
“But is the government taking them seriously? We need the parliament to sit so we can discuss these issues. We must deal with the pandemic crisis and the economic problems in order for us to move forward.”
He said countries such as our neighbour Singapore, Great Britain, Australia and many other parliamentary democracies continued with their legislative arm to sit and collectively address the Covid-19 problem and plan for their economic recovery.
Shafie pointed out that large-scale events like the Olympics are going ahead based on SOPs and similarly with Friday prayers in Malaysia.
Shopping malls and supermarkets are also allowed to operate with SOPs in place.
“Holding the parliamentary sitting is essential and if the government can allow for essential factories to open then why not something that is crucial like parliament?
“Just restrict it to the 220 members of parliament. There’s no need for their officers to attend. Furthermore, I believe all MPs have already been vaccinated,” he said.
The government has agreed in principle for Parliament sittings to be done in a hybrid manner, with MPs present both physically and virtually.
In a statement, de facto law minister Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan said the government was studying the mechanisms required for Parliament sittings to go hybrid amid the pandemic.
He said a detailed study was being conducted before a complete working paper on the matter is presented to the Cabinet for its approval.