LAWMAKERS have started going for Covid-19 screening ahead of the Dewan Rakyat meeting on Monday.

The screening, starting today, will go on until tomorrow.

DAP’s Kepong MP Lim Lip Eng said MPs were told that they can get tested via a drive-thru service from 9am to 3pm during these two days.

“Because it’s drive-thru, there is no need to wait for a long time. I got there at 9am but there were four other cars ahead of me,” Lim told The Malaysian Insight.

The Health Ministry prepared five testing stations and it is unlikely that lawmakers have to wait long even if a crowd turns up.

“The whole thing did not even take five minutes, a doctor helped me with the tests and took samples,” Lim said, adding that he’ll get his results within 24 hours.

The Dewan Rakyat will convene for a day on Monday for the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s royal address.

On April 27, several Pakatan Harapan lawmakers, including Hang Tuah Jaya MP Shamsul Iskandar, Gobind Singh Deo (Puchong) and Mohamad Sabu (Kota Raja) met with Dewan Rakyat Speaker Mohamad Ariff Mohd Yusof to suggest waiving the 14-day quarantine period of Sabah and Sarawak MPs when they arrive in the peninsula.

It is reported that Ariff will discuss with the Health Ministry in coming up with the relevant standard operating procedures.

However, since there was no response on the matter, these MPs flew to Kuala Lumpur for their tests.

DAP’s Lanang MP Alice Lau said she had travelled to the capital city yesterday in order to get tested today.

“It was very troublesome. The flight from Sibu to Kuala Lumpur is a weekly flight, and the only other flight available is from Kuching. So, I had to drive from Sibu to Kuching to take the flight.

“We can only get tested during the two days, so I have no choice but to come early, and then attend the sitting of Dewan Rakyat on May 18. I need to wait until May 20 for a flight back to Kuching, or May 21 for a flight back to Sibu.” – May 14, 2020.