THE youth-led Parlimen Digital initiative that could come under police investigation has received praise from Dr Mahathir Mohamad for being a progressive experiment which shows that parliament could still convene for full sittings amid a pandemic.

“I have been following the debates on the Parlimen Digital Facebook page and I am amazed at this initiative by a group of youth. They have discussed and debated various motions in an objective manner.

“This shows that regardless of the situation we face, even with the Covid-19 pandemic now, parliament can still be held on a digital platform via teleconferencing without the need for us to be physically present in the Dewan Rakyat,” the former prime minister said on Twitter today.

The two-day initiative which began yesterday has caught the attention of the police who have contacted some of the young participants who portrayed the “lawmakers”.

Organisers yesterday said the objectives of the police calls were unclear.

The three politically independent youth groups called Challenger Malaysia, Undi18 and Liga Demokratik Malaysia who organised the event are expected to issue a statement on the situation this afternoon.

Dr Mahathir today commended the organisers for giving young people a chance to learn to debate and interact critically in a civil manner.

“It will also identify young leaders who have leadership potential,” he added.

The second “sitting” continued today, ending at 1pm. It was streamed live on Facebook.

The initiative aims to show that it is possible to hold a virtual parliament session, as has been done in several countries during the virus outbreak.

Dr Mahathir, the opposition and civil society have been critical of the Perikatan Nasional government’s two-hour limit for the May 18 parliamentary sitting, which it said was based on concerns over Covid-19 transmission.

PKR president and Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim yesterday expressed concern over the possibility of police action against the youth who took part in the mock virtual parliament.

“This is a disturbing development as young people should be encouraged to celebrate democracy. I urge the Home Ministry and the police to stop their action and give an explanation instead,” he wrote on Facebook. – July 5, 2020.