Parliament can convene during emergency – Agong
KUALA LUMPUR: Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah has expressed the view that Parliament may convene during the emergency period on a date deemed appropriate by His Majesty, based on the advice of the prime minister.
Comptroller of the Royal Household of Istana Negara Datuk Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin said the matter was enshrined in subparagraph 14 (1) (b) of the emergency (Essential Powers) Ordinance 2021 which states that Parliament should be called, prorogued and dissolved on a date as deemed appropriate by His Majesty on the advice of the prime minister.
In view of this, he said the perception by some quarters that the emergency proclamation is preventing Parliament from sitting is inaccurate.
“It must be stressed that His Majesty’s consent to the advice of the Prime Minister on the declaration of the emergency Proclamation on Jan 12, 2021 is merely a proactive measure to contain the Covid-19 pandemic that has so far claimed over 1,000 lives,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Earlier, Al-Sultan Abdullah granted an audience to Dewan Negara president Tan Sri Dr Rais Yatim and Dewan Rakyat speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun at Istana Negara.
During the audience, His Majesty had emphasised that Malaysia practises the democratic system based on the Supremacy of the Constitution principle and that each branch of the administration, be it the Executive, Judiciary or Legislature must abide by that principle.
In addition, Ahmad Fadil said during the audience, His Majesty also took note of other matters related to culture, heritage and the ethics and conduct of Dewan Rakyat and Senate members during debate sessions so as to stay respectable and honourable.
Meanwhile, on the battle against Covid-19, His Majesty expressed his gratitude to the government, the Health Ministry and the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry in particular, along with relevant government agencies on the efforts taken to realise the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme that kicked off yesterday.
“His Majesty expressed his deep appreciation to the frontline heroes and heroines for the tireless sacrifices made in battling the Covid-19 pandemic.
“His Majesty also called on the people to join him in prayer for Malaysia to continue to be protected and soon be free from the pandemic,” Ahmad Fadil said.
Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin took his first vaccine jab yesterday to kickstart a nationwide exercise that aims to provide Covid-19 immunisation for free to the people in Malaysia, locals and foreigners alike.