In a joint statement, the party leaders said that although they were extremely happy that Parliament would finally reconvene, they were greatly disappointed that Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin had limited the sittings to five days for the Dewan Rakyat and three days for the Dewan Negara.
“Clearly the schedules are totally and absolutely inadequate to allow for a full and meaningful debate on the several ordinances promulgated by the government during this Emergency, which must also be laid out before the Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara,” they said.
They added that this was required under Article 150 (3) of the Federal Constitution.
“It is irresponsible for the prime minister and the PN government to treat Parliament in such a low and unceremonious manner by reducing it to no more than a lecture room.
“It would seem that the sitting is merely to brief MPs on these promulgated ordinances and then expect them to pass them as good law without any debates or questions.
“This is totally unacceptable and is contrary to the Federal Constitution,” he said.
The statement was issued jointly by Warisan president and Semporna MP Shafie Apdal, deputy president Darell Leiking (Penampang), Rozman Isli (Labuan), Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis (Kota Belud), Azis Jamman (Sepanggar), Ahmad Hassan (Papar), Mohammadin Ketapi (Lahad Datu), Ma’mun Sulaiman (Kalabakan) and senator Theodore Douglas Lind.
They said that, as MPs, they represented the voice of the people and it should not be silenced.
He said they have the right to know what the government did or did not do.
“Or how it had mismanaged the Covid-19 pandemic situation which had caused the people to suffer such hardships, including hunger, illness and loss of lives.”
Warisan said the people also have the right to know how the billions of ringgit allocated by the government during this emergency period had been spent or disbursed, especially as it was done without the proper approval or scrutiny by Parliament.
“There should therefore be a normal sitting of Parliament and not in a “hybrid” manner, particularly as all MPs have been fully vaccinated and there is sufficient social distancing in the seating arrangements to allow all to be present at the same time.
“We, therefore, demand that there should be a normal sitting,” they said.