THERE are three main moves used in fencing: the lunge, the parry and the riposte.

Lunge is the basic attacking move, while parry is the defensive action to block the opponent’s lunge. Riposte is a counter-attack that follows a successful parry of the opponent’s attack.The spat between Rembau MP and Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin and opposition MPs on who should be responsible for a virtual Parliament can be considered in fencing terms.
The spat started when Khairy’s predecessor, Yeo Bee Yin told him to step up and offer technological solutions so that Parliament could conduct a virtual sitting. 

The lunge is Khairy’s telling Yeo to check with her opposition colleagues such Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin, Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh and Sungai Buloh MP Sivarasa Rasiah – who are part of Parliament’s Standing Order Committee – on why they didn’t call for a meeting to discuss the matter.

Khairy said amendments were needed to the Standing Orders for Parliament to convene online, or to hold a “hybrid” meeting, where a limited number of MPs would be present physically while others participate online so that social distancing in the House could be observed.

He said the speaker should call a meeting of the committee to consider amendments.

The parry is the opposition MPs’ responding to Khairy that the latter was attempting to shift the blame to the committee.

According to Sivarasa, all that was needed was for a minister to table a motion for the Standing Orders (SO) to be amended and the opposition would support it.

Here’s the riposte:

SO 78(1) states that it “shall be the duty of the [Standing Order] Committee to consider from time to time and report on all matters relating to the Standing Orders which may be referred to it by the House. The Committee shall not have power to send for persons, documents or papers unless the House so resolves.”

So, the duty to consider amendments to the Standing Orders is upon a referral by the House. And the House must also resolve to empower the committee to call for persons, documents or papers. 

These are important to assist the committee in its deliberations. For example, officers form the Attorney-General Chamber’s drafting division, as well as officers from Parliament’s legislative and proceedings section, are usually called in to assist. Khairy’s technology and innovation officers may be needed to assist also.

In any case, and as alluded by Sivarasa, a motion is needed for amendments to the Standing Orders. SO 78(2) states as follows:

“If a notice of motion involves any proposal for the amendment of Standing Orders, the notice shall be accompanied by a draft of the proposed amendments, and the motion when proposed and seconded shall stand referred without any question being proposed thereon to the Standing Orders Committee, and no further proceedings shall be taken on any such motion until the Standing Orders Committee has reported thereon.”

If Parliament does not sit, or sit with an order paper that includes “Motions”, how lah to move for amendments to the Standing Orders? – May 17, 2020. 

* Hafiz Hassan reads The Malaysian Insight.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.