Speaker Suhaizan Kaiat said the adjournment was also to enable the state assembly management to increase the level of safety for everyone involved against the spread of the virus.
“As advised by His Majesty, based on the risk assessment done by the state health department, and to enable the state assembly management to increase the safety level and ensure compliance with the SOPs to curb the spread of Covid-19, under Standing Order 7 (3) of the Johor state assembly, I hereby adjourn the meeting until 9.30am on Sunday.”
At a press conference later, menteri besar Hasni Mohammad said the speaker and the state health department were in the midst of fine-tuning the SOPs for the sitting.
He said the one-week adjournment was necessary as there was a need to increase SOP compliance and safety, including by installing transparent dividers, fixing a suitable number of attendees in the hall as well as the procedures before and during the sitting.
“We will also create a movement bubble for the assemblymen to ensure that they are safe from any possible risk, including being in close contact with anybody.
“We don’t want what happened in Parliament to happen here. The (Parliament) sitting had to be stopped halfway after positive cases were detected among the MPs.”
Hasni also confirmed that all 56 assemblymen present today could continue attending the sitting as physical distancing was possible due to the large capacity of the hall. Hence, he said there was no need for a hybrid session.
He said the fine-tuned SOPs and the time for the sitting would be announced two or three days before the sitting resumes.
The sitting was initially scheduled to resume on Aug 15.
Earlier, the Sultan of Johor, Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, in his opening address, expressed his appreciation to all frontliners for remaining strong in the fight against Covid-19.
He also thanked the federal government for providing more vaccines to the state.
“I would also like to express my appreciation to all parties who have extended assistance, whether in food or financial aid, to help the affected people.”
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