LIVE | I tried to convince Dr M against resigning, says Agong
LIVE | Malaysiakini brings you live reports and streaming on the one-day Dewan Rakyat sitting from the entrance to the Parliament House.
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SALIENT POINTS
- Journalist faints, probably due to hot weather
- King, Muhyiddin leave Parliament
- King wants new gov't to continue battling corruption
- King touches on political crisis, tried to convince Dr M against resigning
- King: We are at war with Covid-19
- Anwar takes first seat in opposition bench, Dr M in the centre
- Unusual sitting arrangement
- Keep off the road - police warns reporters of arrest
This concludes Malaysiakini's live coverage of the Dewan Rakyat sitting today.
The sitting lasted less than two hours as there was no debate.
The royal address was the only agenda during the one-day sitting.
Journalist faints, probably due to hot weather
11.20am - A journalist from Kwong Wah Yit Poh, Tan Zhi Wei, faints while covering the event outside the Parliament main gate.
He regains consciousness after the media members and cops attend to him. The ambulance arrives soon after.
Tan is seen heading to his car with colleagues accompanying him.
The 31-year-old journalist says he fainted probably due to the hot weather and has not taken his breakfast this morning.
King, Muhyiddin leave Parliament
11.10am - Yang di-Pertuan Agong Abdullah Ahmad Shah leaves Parliament after giving his opening royal address.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin waves and smiles while passing through the main gate.
Five minutes later, former premier and Pekan MP Najib Abdul Razak leaves and is followed by Permatang Pauh MP Nurul Izzah Anwar who tells the media members to take care and keep social distancing.
Port Dickson MP Anwar Ibrahim, who is the new opposition leader, gives the thumbs up, while former premier and Langkawi MP Mahathir Mohamad is also seen leaving the House.
King ends speech with 'don't create another political crisis' advice
11.00am - Returning to the political crisis, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong tells lawmakers not to drag the nation into...
LIVE | Malaysiakini brings you live reports and streaming on the one-day Dewan Rakyat sitting from the entrance to the Parliament House.
If you like our reporting, support independent media by subscribing to Malaysiakini for as low as RM0.55 a day. Details here.
SALIENT POINTS
- Journalist faints, probably due to hot weather
- King, Muhyiddin leave Parliament
- King wants new gov't to continue battling corruption
- King touches on political crisis, tried to convince Dr M against resigning
- King: We are at war with Covid-19
- Anwar takes first seat in opposition bench, Dr M in the centre
- Unusual sitting arrangement
- Keep off the road - police warns reporters of arrest
Thank you for following Malaysiakini
This concludes Malaysiakini's live coverage of the Dewan Rakyat sitting today.
The sitting lasted less than two hours as there was no debate.
The royal address was the only agenda during the one-day sitting.
Journalist faints, probably due to hot weather
11.20am - A journalist from Kwong Wah Yit Poh, Tan Zhi Wei, faints while covering the event outside the Parliament main gate.
He regains consciousness after the media members and cops attend to him. The ambulance arrives soon after.
Tan is seen heading to his car with colleagues accompanying him.
The 31-year-old journalist says he fainted probably due to the hot weather and has not taken his breakfast this morning.
King, Muhyiddin leave Parliament
11.10am - Yang di-Pertuan Agong Abdullah Ahmad Shah leaves Parliament after giving his opening royal address.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin waves and smiles while passing through the main gate.
Five minutes later, former premier and Pekan MP Najib Abdul Razak leaves and is followed by Permatang Pauh MP Nurul Izzah Anwar who tells the media members to take care and keep social distancing.
Port Dickson MP Anwar Ibrahim, who is the new opposition leader, gives the thumbs up, while former premier and Langkawi MP Mahathir Mohamad is also seen leaving the House.
King ends speech with 'don't create another political crisis' advice
11.00am - Returning to the political crisis, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong tells lawmakers not to drag the nation into a similar predicament at this juncture.
This remark wins the approval of government lawmakers, who thump their tables in agreement.
The opposition has argued that the new Perikatan Nasional government lacks legitimacy and does not possess the numbers to be in power.
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong states that differences should not lead to animosity but give rise to new ideas.
"MPs should show political maturity and appreciate the people's plight to defend the people and uphold the principles of justice," he says.
He adds that MPs should not touch on religious and racial sensitivities as well as the position of the Malay rulers. Once again, the government bench expresses its agreement.
"I would like to advise not to drag this country into another political uncertainty at a time when the people are facing hardship as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
"It is also for this reason that my government has decided to set the Parliament sitting for one day with my speech as the only agenda," he adds.
The Agong then concludes his speech.
Following a prayer session, Dewan Rakyat speaker Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof announces that the House is adjourned.
The Agong then departs and MPs rise to their feet.
King wants new gov't to continue battling corruption
10.50am - The Yang di-Pertuan Agong touches on several ongoing government policies including on social, agriculture, environment and tourism.
Focussing on corruption, he urges the government to continue with the National Anti-Corruption Plan.
"This is to ensure that the development agenda is not plagued by misappropriation and corruption.
"Inculcate in people's minds from school that corruption is disgusting and must be battled at all cost," he stresses.
The opposition MPs bang their tables in agreement.
Sri Aman MP joins government
10.45am - Masir Kujat (Parti Sarawak Bersatu-Sri Aman) is listed as a government MP, according to the Dewan Rakyat seating plan.
Masir's party had initially backed Dr Mahathir Mohamad as prime minister.
Based on the seating plan, it can also be deduced that Baru Bian (Independent-Selangau) is not on the government bench.
The seating plan also confirms that there are five Bersatu MPs on the opposition bench - Langkawi, Jerlun, Kubang Pasu, Simpang Renggam and Muar.
[Read the full story here]
Political polarisation a cause for concern, says ruler
10.40am - The Yang di-Pertuan Agong expresses concern over the state of national unity.
"I am concerned by the existence of political polarisation, any provocation or values that go against our norms and laws must be contained before things worsen.
"I welcome the National Unity Action Plan to ensure the unity agenda can be inculcated," he says.
He also urges the government to secure the country's maritime borders and ensure equitable economic distribution.
King touches on political crisis, tried to convince Dr M against resigning
10.35am - The ruler then addresses the political crisis in the nation.
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong says he accepted Dr Mahathir Mohamad's resignation with sadness and had tried to convince him against stepping down but to no avail.
He points out that after a process to establish who the MPs supported, he found that Pagoh MP Muhyiddin Yassin commanded the majority.
"The national political crisis cannot be allowed to become drawn out without an end.
“After the process in line with the Federal Constitution, I found that Muhyiddin commanded the majority among members of the Dewan Rakyat and was therefore appointed as prime minister," he adds.
He thanks MPs and the people for their maturity in allowing the process to take place and urges Muhyiddin's government to be responsible, honest and not neglect the people's welfare.
King: We are at war with Covid-19
10.25am - The Yang di-Pertuan Agong removes his face mask to deliver his address.
He notes the unusual circumstances of the sitting which, for the first time, is held during the Ramadan fasting month.
"At present, the country is waging a war against Covid-19...
“But we have faced this pandemic as a united Malaysia that is resilient and disciplined," he says.
The monarch praises the healthcare workers and asks MPs to acknowledge their contribution.
The MPs rise and applaud the healthcare workers.
King and his entourage enter the House with face masks
10.20am - The Yang di-Pertuan Agong enters the House donning a face mask. His ceremonial escorts are also wearing face masks.
The MPs rise as he walks in and takes his position. All MPs are also wearing face masks.
The lawmakers are separated from each other in accordance with the social distancing guidelines with regard to Covid-19.
Unusual sitting arrangement
10.20am - The seating arrangement for this sitting is unusual.
Based on the floor plan and photographs from the chamber, MPs are not allowed to sit together and must leave one seat empty between them.
This leads to some MPs having to sit in the public gallery.
According to the floor plan, the number of distribution of seats is 114 government MPs, 107 from Pakatan Harapan and one independent.
Dr Mahathir Mohamad (Bersatu-Langkawi), on the other hand, finds himself in an unfamiliar part of the Dewan Rakyat.
For most of his political career, the 95-year-old politician sat on the right side of the speaker as prime minister.
Now, he is sitting at the rear in the "D block", almost directly opposite the speaker and behind the sergeant-at-arms.
His party - Bersatu - appears to be split across the floor, with most on the government bench and a handful on the opposition bench.
Anwar takes first seat in opposition bench, Dr M in the centre
10.15am - PKR president Anwar Ibrahim takes the first seat in the opposition bench as the new opposition leader.
Next to him are Amanah president Mohamad Sabu, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, former deputy premier Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang.
Whereas Bersatu chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad, as well as Warisan president Mohd Shafie Apdal, are seated at another table, in the centre of the House, separated from Pakatan Harapan lawmakers but are part of the opposition bloc.
Mahathir's son and Bersatu deputy president Mukhriz and party Youth chief Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman are in the same bloc as the former premier.
Bell rings, MPs summoned into the House
10.10am - The Parliament bell begins to ring, summoning all MPs into the House.
However, most MPs are already in the hall in anticipation of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong's speech to officiate the first Dewan Rakyat sitting since the infamous “Sheraton Move”.
By convention, Parliament sits for three meetings a year. The rule officiates the first sitting each year.
This is the first time the government has limited the siting to a single day due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The agenda, much to the chagrin of opposition lawmakers, has also been limited to a single issue, which is the ruler's address.
King enters Parliament building
10.00am - Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah alights from his vehicle. He is flanked by Dewan Rakyat speaker Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof and Dewan Negara president S Vigneswaran.
They observe the national anthem before making their way into the Parliament building. Minutes earlier, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin had also arrived ahead of the monarch.
Dr M and Najib arrive
9.25am - Former Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad arrives with his escorts.
He waves at the media from his black Proton Perdana bearing the number plate RIMAU 1925 but does not stop to speak with them before entering the Parliament compound.
Former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak arrives five minutes later. Also spotted were other opposition leaders such as DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng and PKR's Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.
Earlier, a team of 10 riot police arrived and advised the media to keep their distance.
Johari: 'Hopefully' a peaceful session
9.15am - Pakatan Harapan parliamentary whip Johari Abdul arrives. He rolls down his car window to greet the media.
Asked if he expects a peaceful sitting today, he replies, "Hopefully."
He, however, reiterates that PKR is unhappy with the parliamentary sitting agenda.
Keep off the road - police warn reporters of arrest
9.10am - Dang Wangi district police chief Mohd Fahmi Visuvanathan Abdullah repeatedly reminds the press to keep their distance from one another.
He tells them to stay off the road leading to the Parliament compound, failing which, they can be arrested.
Only RTM and Bernama personnel are allowed to cover the sitting from the media room, dubbed by reporters as the “dungeon".
9am - The media is kept about 300m from the gates of the Parliament building and are basking in the morning sun.
Parliament staff and MPs are streaming into the building.
Parliament sits for one day
The one-day Parliament sitting today will only see the opening address of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah.
The Dewan Rakyat convenes for the first time since the "Sheraton Move", a political coup that saw Perikatan Nasional (PN) ousting the Pakatan Harapan government.
Originally slated to be held from March 9 to April 16, the parliamentary sitting was postponed and shortened due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
PN aborted its plan to table four motions and two bills today after the Dewan Rakyat accepted a motion of no confidence filed by former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad against Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.
For the first time ever, close to 300 MPs and senators will attend the opening ceremony by observing social distancing.
Only the official media is allowed to enter Parliament to cover the proceedings.
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