In a statement, they said Parliament needs to carry out its constitutionally mandated legislative, representational and oversight functions.

“It is time to unlock Parliament and reinstate its oversight role and engage in good faith in order to overcome the most serious public health crisis this country has ever faced,” they said.

The statement was released by Engage Malaysia, Bait Al-Amanah, Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS), Malaysia Reform Initiative, Bersih 2.0 and Pusat Komas.

Yesterday, Dewan Rakyat deputy speaker Azalina Othman Said called for the government to hold a virtual Parliament during the emergency, saying there was no way for the country to move forward unless Parliament was allowed to reconvene.

She also called for an Emergency Ordinance allowing Parliament to reconvene, but without motions of confidence to be heard against the government or the prime minister.

Azalina also said any public mistrust must be handled through public debate, as building the people’s confidence during this time was essential in keeping everyone safe.

The six bodies said if new measures require changes to the current Standing Orders of Parliament, it can easily be managed if all parties are in agreement.

The statement gave Standing Order 13, where the quorum of the Dewan Rakyat is stipulated as 26, excluding the Chair, as an example.

“With cross-party consensus, a minimum number of MPs need to be present to pass any necessary amendments to its Standing Orders,” the group said.

The group further praised Azalina for “rising above” and proposing interim measures as the country fights Covid-19.

Today, Malaysia reported a new record of 8,290 cases.

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