Ball in PM’s court when to call for Parliament sitting, say lawyers
PETALING JAYA: It is now up to Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin to determine when Parliament should be convened as the emergency will not be extended beyond Aug 1, a lawyer said. Abdul Shukor Ahmad said the Dewan Rakyat speaker and Dewan Negara president should inform the prime minister that there…
PETALING JAYA: It is now up to Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin to determine when Parliament should be convened as the emergency will not be extended beyond Aug 1, a lawyer said.
Abdul Shukor Ahmad said the Dewan Rakyat speaker and Dewan Negara president should inform the prime minister that there were no obstacles to convening meetings in both houses.
He said the prime minister could seek an audience and advise the Yang di-Pertuan Agong about reopening both houses, as required under the Federal Constitution and Standing Orders.
“As leader of both houses , the ball is in the PM’s court when our legislature should resume its function,” he told FMT.
He said this in response to de facto law minister Takiyuddin Hassan’s statement that the king did not set a date when Parliament should be reconvened.
He was referring to a statement from Istana Negara yesterday in which the Agong, Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, said that he wanted Parliament to reconvene as soon as possible.
The Agong had proclaimed on Jan 11 that Parliament and state assemblies were suspended until Aug 1 or an earlier date.
Shukor said nothing stopped the present government from calling for the Parliament sitting to be held even before Aug 1.
“In law, the emergency ends when Parliament sits,” he added.
Lawyer Muhammad Rafique Rashid Ali said the Malay Rulers had desired that Parliament sit as soon as possible because they have clearly outlined the issues facing the rakyat and the nation.
Rafique said Muhyiddin could invoke Standing Order 11 to convene the Dewan Rakyat immediately by doing away with the formalities required under normal circumstances.
He said usually a 28-day notice was given to MPs.
He said Article 55 of the constitution states that Parliament must sit within six months of its last meeting, which was on Dec 17.
Meanwhile, former Bar president Zainur Zakaria said Takiyudin should not manipulate the clear intent of the message by the king which was supported by all the Malay Rulers. — Free Malaysia Today