PRIME Minister Muhyiddin Yassin must advise Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah to convene Parliament before the end of the state of emergency on August 1, said former Dewan Rakyat speaker Mohamad Ariff Yusof in a statement today.

He said the king and the Malay rulers were right in issuing their decree, after their special meeting today, that Parliament must reconvene as soon as possible.

“The king was clear in his opinion that Parliament is the right platform to debate the Emergency Ordinances and national recovery plan to exit the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Ariff, who was the speaker during the Pakatan Harapan government.

Earlier today, the king said he was aware of Parliament’s role as an important platform for elected representatives to discuss the Covid-19 pandemic.

“MPs can discuss the government’s expenditure to help the people and restore the economy,” the king said in a statement issued by Comptroller of the Royal Household Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin.

In a separate statement, the Malay rulers said that Parliament and state assemblies must be allowed to convene in order for the proper functioning of the nationwide checks and balance system.

They also urged the government not to extend the state of emergency beyond its expiry date of August 1.

The meeting took place at Istana Negara today, after the king held separate meetings with political party heads last week.

These meetings were held amid growing calls for Parliament to reconvene as Covid-19 cases spiked, despite the state of emergency declared in January to fight the pandemic.

Parliamentary sittings, state legislative assemblies and elections, have been suspended under the emergency, prompting criticism of Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and his government for avoiding legislative checks and balances.

In February, the king decreed that Parliament should meet even during a state of emergency.

The emergency, declared on January 11 to effectively fight the pandemic, is to end on August 1.

In his address to the nation on Tuesday, Muhyiddin said Parliament can reconvene under Phase 3 of the government’s national recovery plan, which is around September or October.

“I give my commitment that Parliament will reopen in this phase under tight standard operating procedure (SOP),” the prime minister said in his national address. – June 16, 2021.