CONTRARY to popular belief, the January 11 Proclamation of Emergency [PU(A) 7/2021] does not lockdown Parliament. A proclamation is what it is: a declaration. Nothing more, nothing less.

It was the ensuing Emergency (Essential Powers) Ordinance 2021 [PU(A) 12/2021] that did it, and still does. Even so, it is not the whole of the ordinance but section 14. The section reads as follows:

(1) For so long as the emergency is in force —

(a) the provisions relating to the summoning, proroguing and dissolution of Parliament in the Federal Constitution shall not have effect; and

(b) Parliament shall be summoned, prorogued and dissolved on a date as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong thinks appropriate.

(2) Any meeting of the Parliament which has been summoned before the coming into operation of this Ordinance but has not been held is cancelled.

Similarly, it is section 15 which prevents the sitting of the state legislative assemblies (SLAs).

So what does it take to reconvene parliament and SLAs? Promulgate an Emergency (Essential Powers) (Amendment) Ordinance 2021 that removes or deletes sections 14 and 15 and have it gazetted.

Simple although arguably it should be preceded by advice from two sources: an independent special committee established under section 2(1) of the ordinance that it is safe to reconvene parliament and SLAs; and the prime minister to promulgate the amendment ordinance.

That it is safe for parliament to meet may be surmised from the advice of the American Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that if one is fully vaccinated, one may safely resume the life that has been disrupted by the pandemic.

Hopefully this can be done after the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong meets with political party leaders starting today.

The Agong will then follow up with a proclamation to summon parliament under Article 55(1) of the federal constitution.

The opposition will have to keep to its promise not to call for a vote of confidence if the MPs were allowed to meet once more.

Can the people now look forward to parliament convening? – June 9, 2021.

* 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.