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KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 17 — Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker Datuk Seri Azalina Othman has written to Attorney General (AG) Tan Sri Idrus Harun to criticise his advice for the government to suspend Parliament during the Emergency.
The Pengerang MP questioned why the country has refused to employ means to facilitate Parliament sittings like other countries, such as reducing the number of MPs present, having flexible sitting hours, and broadcasting the House’s proceedings.
“Instead of improvising so parliamentary proceedıngs can take place, the government has opted to suspend parliamentary sittings altogether.
“If that was not enough, the Attorney General’s Chambers has now advised the government, rather restrictively I may add, that all activities of committees established in Parliament including Special Select Committees (SCs) can no longer continue even if conducted virtually,” she said in the letter.
The letter was also copied to Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan, and Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun, among others.
In the letter, Azalina also suggested that the current Cabinet be suspended and replaced with an Emergency Cabinet that would have only limited powers until the Emergency is lifted on August 1.
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