Clearly, the Home Minister, Hamzah Zainuddin has not given up his bizarre idea that Parliament will only sit after the country has achieved herd immunity against Covid-19 virus.
Today, he poured cold water on a proposal to set up a hybrid Parliament during the emergency and publicly humiliated not only the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Parlaiment), Taikiyyuddin Hassan, who announced the proposal for a hybrid Parliament, but also the Dewan Rakyat speaker, Dewan Negara president, the Dewan Negara deputy president, both deputy speakers of the Dewan Rakyat, and Parliament’s chief administrator who are currently studying the proposal.
Hamzah reiterated his call that those who want Parliament to re-open should wait until herd immunity is achieved.
He also questioned how Parliament’s standing orders could be amended to accommodate a hybrid setup in a matter of weeks when it would require months.
As this is a serious matter which concerns the oath of office of the Yang di Pertuan Agong, Ministers, Members of Parliament and all Parliamenary officers to “preserve, protect and defend” the Federal Constitution, the Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin should make clear whether Hamzah’s bizarre idea that Parliament can only meet when herd immunity against the coronavirus is achieved represents government policy or not.
If not, the reason for Hamzah’s rude and cavalier behaviour.
Or have we reached a position where the Prime Minister cannot exercise discipline over his Ministers?
If Hamzah is to have his way, then Malaysia will be the first country in the world where its Parliament can only meet when the country achieves herd immunity against Covid-19.
This runs counter to all international practices, whether Congress in the United States, House of Commons in UK, the Lok Sabha in India or the Diet in Japan, as no Parliament in the world subject its proceedings to the question whether herd immunity against Covid-19 had been achieved in the country!
What will be the position if Malaysia cannot achieve herd immunity against the coronavirus, especially with his plan to crackdown on undocumented migrant workers in Malaysia.
Will Parliament then to be suspended indefinitely?
(Media Statement (2) by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Kuala Lumpur on Friday, June 11, 2021)