Will Speaker allow full parliamentary debates on key issues?

Question

Accepted Answer

Speaker's Decision on Full Parliamentary Debates Remains Unclear Amidst Opposition Demands

The Dewan Rakyat Speaker's stance on allowing full parliamentary debates and the attendance of all Members of Parliament (MPs) during the upcoming special sitting remains undetermined. Pakatan Harapan has formally urged the Speaker, Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun, to permit comprehensive discussions on critical national issues, including the National Recovery Plan and emergency ordinances, and to lift attendance restrictions that limit participation to 80 MPs.
Pakatan Harapan's Call for Open Debate

Pakatan Harapan has explicitly requested that the Speaker facilitate full debates on all matters outlined in the Yang di-Pertuan Agong's decree. This includes detailed discussions on the National Recovery Plan, the Emergency Declaration, Emergency Ordinances, the vaccination programme, strategies to curb Covid-19, and initiatives for economic and livelihood restoration. The coalition has expressed its inability to accept a parliamentary session where MPs are only present to listen to speeches without the opportunity for substantive debate.
Demand for Adherence to Royal Decree

A central demand from Pakatan Harapan is for the Speaker to clarify his allegiance between the directives of the King and Malay Rulers, who called for Parliament to reconvene to discuss emergency ordinances and the national recovery plan, and the directives of the Cabinet. The opposition coalition insists that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong's decree must be upheld by the government, implying a need for the Speaker to prioritise these royal commands over any potential Cabinet influence.
Previous Stance on Debates and Attendance

The current appeals from Pakatan Harapan follow an earlier criticism of the Speaker's statement on July 15. In that prior communication, Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun had indicated that the special parliamentary sitting, scheduled from July 26 to August 2, would not feature debates by MPs. This previous statement suggests a potential resistance to the opposition's present demands for open discussion and broader MP participation.
Ultimatum on Speaker's Position

Pakatan Harapan has presented a strong stance, stating that if the Speaker finds himself unable to implement the requested changes for the upcoming sitting, he is welcome to resign from his post. This ultimatum underscores the opposition's conviction that open parliamentary debate and full MP participation are essential for addressing the nation's pressing concerns during the Covid-19 pandemic and the ongoing economic crisis.

Reading history

Hide →

This history is cleared when the page is closed.

Will Speaker allow full parliamentary debates on key issues?

Loading

Was this article helpful?

Helpful

Not helpful

Report an issue

1

0

0

Share with friends