KUALA LUMPUR: All members of parliament, including those who have not been fully vaccinated, are allowed to enter the House, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun said.
However, Azhar said MPs who have not received two doses of their vaccines by the time the House sits on Monday will be advised to understand the urgency for them to do so.
"For this upcoming special sitting and the next sessions, we have decided to allow all MPs to enter the House, even those who have yet to be fully vaccinated, but we will advise them to be very careful (with the risk of Covid-19 infection).
"This is because we can't stop them from coming (to the Parliament building) to perform their duties as required by the Federal Constitution," he said during a joint interview with several local media outlets through Zoom application today.
According to Azhar, the same treatment is also extended to officers of MPs and ministers as well as other contract workers such as their bodyguards, drivers and those who will be escorting lawmakers and cabinet members into the House.
"But we will need them to be fully vaccinated. We will check (their vaccination status) out there (upon entering the Parliament gates) before they are allowed in.
"If they are not fully vaccinated, we will stop them from entering the Parliament building," he said.
Asked on steps taken by the Parliament to ensure a Covid-19-free environment in the building, Azhar said everyone will be required to present their swab test results upon entering, adding that this will also apply to those who have been inoculated.
Two days ago, Azhar said 1,008 people who are expected to enter Parliament on Monday have undergone Covid-19 swab tests while MPs have done so earlier today.
So far, 90 per cent of Parliament staff have received both doses while 95 per cent of MPs have been fully vaccinated.
"The remaining have gotten at least one dose. Four MPs haven't received both doses, probably due to certain factors that do not allow them to do so.
"A month ago, I spoke to Covid-19 National Immunisation Programme coordinating minister Khairy Jamaluddin and he has agreed to vaccinate all Parliament staff including others," he said.
Earlier this month, the Parliament said that it will meet for a special sitting for five days from July 26 to 29, and Aug 2.
The next full Parliament session will be held for 15 days from Sept 6 until Sept 30 while the second session for 2021, the Dewan Rakyat will sit for 32 days from Oct 25 until Dec 16.