A LONGER parliament sitting is possible as seating arrangements can be made to observe social distancing, PKR president Anwar Ibrahim said.

Fewer MPs can be present and still meet the quorum for the meeting, he suggested today in a press conference on Facebook live.

MPs can meet for more days instead of just one day on May 18 by reducing the number of MPs in the house.

“PKR has 39 MPs, so we can make it such that only half of them attend so that we don’t have to worry about the place and maintaining social distancing.”

Yesterday, a notice was sent to all MPs regarding the first meeting of Parliament this year on May 18, a one-day affair only for the royal address and to debate government matters involving the Covid-19 pandemic.

The letter by Dewan Rakyat secretary Riduan Rahmat said, as such, there will be no ministers’ question time or tabling of motions by MPs.

Anwar said there was talk that the Perikatan Nasional government does not want to have a longer meeting because of fears that a vote of no confidence will be called against Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin. 

“Meaning they (Perikatan) have no support from MPs,” he said.

Anwar said that he had proposed alternatives for the Parliament meeting to Muhyiddin. 

“I don’t understand why we (all MPs) have to come to Kuala Lumpur for this (May 18 sitting). Because this can be done live and the MPs can participate at home.”

Anwar also said Pakatan Harapan had mooted an emergency Parliament sitting earlier to discuss Covid-19 matters in the country, but received no response.

An emergency meeting could be held without having to wait weeks until May 18, he said.

The May 18 meeting was supposed to have been held on March 9, before Pakatan was ousted from federal power in a plot by Muhyiddin’s faction in Bersatu, ex-PKR leaders, Umno and PAS. – April 18, 2020.