IN this time of catastrophe, as Dr Mahathir Mohamad calls it, it is only right that opposition pact Pakatan Harapan (PH) should laud Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin for the economic stimulus package which was announced on Friday afternoon.

But PH has every right also to want the PM to call for a parliamentary sitting soon so that all parties can work together in handling the economic and health crises caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. 

It flows from democratic principles and the belief in democratic institutions.

In this respect, the prime minister can take a leaf from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The latter announced on March 22 that his government had asked the Speaker of the House of Commons, the lower house of parliament, to recall the House on an emergency basis to help pass legislation to help Canadians cope with the impacts of the Covid-19 outbreak.

The House was suspended on March 13 amid the Covid-19 concerns. But reconvene the House did on March 24. And how out of ordinary it was.

Under the House’s Standing Order 26, a quorum of 20 members (including the Speaker) is required “to constitute a meeting of the House for the exercise of its powers”. But putting political differences aside, the leaders of the political parties in the House had agreed that only about 30 members attend the special sitting. This meant that the House was able to meet and observe social distancing in the august chamber at the same time. 

The sitting was also made possible under Standing Order 28(3) which provides that when the House stands adjourned, it may be recalled by the Speaker, in consultation with the government, earlier than the date it was adjourned.

The process usually begins with a government request made in writing to the Speaker setting out the reasons why it is in the public interest to recall the House.  It is similar to Standing Order 11(3) of the Dewan Rakyat, which reads as follow:

“If, during an adjournment of the House, it is represented to Tuan Yang di-Pertua by the Prime Minister that the public interest requires that the House should meet at an earlier date than that to which the House was adjourned, Tuan Yang di-Pertua shall give notice thereof forthwith and the House shall meet at the time stated in such notice. The business set down for that day shall be appointed by the Prime Minister and notice thereof shall be circulated not later than the time of meeting.”

Although the House was suspended as soon as it reconvened, the deadlock between Trudeau’s minority government and the opposition was finally resolved with the House approving the stimulus bill. 

The Singapore government too unveiled in parliament a second stimulus on Thursday afternoon with more cash for all citizens above 21, digging into its reserves for only the second time. All this while observing social distancing in the chamber. 

The main point to note from the above is: it is parliament which oversees and approves government spending or fiscal measures.

So rightly in democracies, stimulus packages are debated in parliament and closely monitored. The source of government spending will be known then. In other words, parliamentary oversight is not compromised.

It is the Prime Minister’s call to invoke Standing Order 11(3) of the Dewan Rakyat as much as it was Trudeau’s call under Standing Order 28(3) of the House of Commons. Despite his absence in the House due to self-isolation, Trudeau’s government succeeded in winning the opposition’s backing for a C$82 billion (RM251.3 billion) aid package to help individuals and businesses through the pandemic.

PH has already guaranteed that it will support the government’s effort to ensure the efficiency of the stimulus package.

Dire situation does call for drastic measures, but even drastic measures must have proper oversight – more so when they are worth RM250 billion. – March 28, 2020.

* Hafiz Hassan reads The Malaysian Insight.