No power to control movement of MPs outside house, says speaker

Ragananthini Vethasalam Chan Kok Leong Ragananthini Vethasalam, Chan Kok Leong Updated 3 years ago · Published on 29 Jul 2020 1:05PM · 2 Comments

The crowd of Najib Razak supporters at the Kuala Lumpur court complex yesterday failed to practise social distancing.

THE Dewan Rakyat has no power to regulate the movement of MPs outside Parliament, Speaker Azhar Azizan Harun said.

He was responding to R.S.N. Rayer’s (Jelutong-PH) query on whether lawmakers present at a gathering of Najib Razak supporters at the Kuala Lumpur court complex yesterday should be quarantined in case of Covid-19 transmissions.

The crowd, including Umno MPs, came in support of the former prime minister during the verdict for his graft charges in the SRC International case.

Police warned them several times to observe social distancing and to wear masks.

Rayer told the Dewan Rakyat today that Ahmad Maslan (Pontian-BN) and Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim (Baling-BN) were among MPs at the gathering who did not wear masks. Noh Omar (Tanjung Karang-BN) was also there but wore one.

“We are now exposed. Yesterday, when I went to the coffee shop, I was asked if the rule (to follow standard operating procedures against Covid-19) only applies to ordinary public. (People asked) What about MPs from the government bench. So should YB Baling, Pontian and Tanjung Karang be quarantined?” Rayer said.

Azhar said it is not known whether anybody in the crowd had Covid-19 and infected the MPs present there. 

“We do not have the power to control the movement of lawmakers outside the house. I think as long as it is not proven that they have Covid-19 symptoms, we cannot prohibit them from entering the house,” the speaker said.

Azhar, however, reminded MPs to always adhere to the SOP to prevent Covid-19 infections. – July 29, 2020.

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Comments

  • Why can't the Speaker instruct them to be tested for Covid-19, and to return only if they test negative?
    Is the Speaker firmly in the grip of PN?

    Posted 3 years ago by Arul Inthirarajah · Reply

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