Speaker defends Parliament daily-schedule, says Health DG wanted it shorter
Dewan Rakyat Speaker Azhar Azizan Harun has defended ending Parliament at 5.30pm amid calls from MPs who want more time to debate and get answers from the government.
In defending his decision, Azhar revealed that ending at 5.30pm was actually much longer than what Health Ministry director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah had advised...
Dewan Rakyat Speaker Azhar Azizan Harun has defended ending Parliament at 5.30pm amid calls from MPs who want more time to debate and get answers from the government.
In defending his decision, Azhar revealed that ending at 5.30pm was actually much longer than what Health Ministry director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah had advised.
"I would like to explain that we have not followed the advice and recommendation of the health director-general, who came and gave emphasis that we sit until 2pm only because he was concerned with the Covid-19 (outbreak) at the Parliament.
"Since yesterday till today, we have had another four Covid-19 cases. The risk is high. So, we decided to sit until 5.30pm only.
"However, I will let the minister consider (about extending beyond 5.30pm)," Azhar added.
He was responding to the call by Shamsul Iskandar Md Akin (Pakatan Harapan-Hang Tuah Jaya) for the current Dewan Rakyat session to be extended for longer hours.
Earlier, Shamsul urged the House to consider extending the sitting time of the five-day sessions.
"I wish to express the desire of the opposition bloc to have the sitting time extended. In the past few days, we did not have enough time to debate the issues because we haven't sat for 221 days," Shamsul said.
The five-day special Parliament sitting, the first this year, was called after a nationwide emergency was declared in January to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic.
Parliament was suspended during the emergency, which is has been scheduled to expire on Aug 1.
Two members of Parliament and 12 parliamentary staff were tested positive for Covid-19 recently.
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