KUALA LUMPUR: The Special five day Dewan Rakyat sitting which kicked off today is being held as per the Standing Order of the Lower House of Parliament as well as meeting the required provisions of the Federal Constitution.
Dewan Rakyat Speaker, Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun said under Dewan Rakyat Standing Order 11 (3), the current special meeting is held when there is a postponement in a parliamentary meeting.
"The current parliament has been in adjournment. We have not prorogued the third term. Technically, we are still in the third term which has been adjourned. The calendar of the fourth term which will begin on September 6 has already been distributed previously.
"As often been our practice before starting the new term, the current term will be prorogued at least a week beforehand. So now, it has not been prorogued. We are now in the third term which has been postponed," he said in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Azhar's response came after opposition Members of Parliament's rose to question the Special Dewan Rakyat sitting, which they deemed did not follow the Dewan Rakyat Standing Orders on house meeting as well as the lack of space for debate and voting by lawmakers.
Elaborating further, the Speaker said the Dewan Rakyat Standing Order 11 (3) also provides that the Prime Minister has the prerogative to convene this special session.
"The Prime Minister will inform me as the Speaker of the House, that in the opinion of the Prime Minister and the public interest it is important and necessary to hold a sitting even if the date of the next meeting has not yet arrived.
"The notification has been given to me by the Prime Minister and most importantly, Standing Order 11 (3) on meeting matters was set by the Prime Minister. This special session is the prerogative of the Prime Minister," he said.
Azhar adds that a similar practice is also adopted by the United Kingdom (UK) Parliament whereas a special sitting of the August House is allowed with the agreement of the government.
In the UK according to their Standing Order, a special sitting can be called by the government. Here it is the Prime Minister, in the UK it's the government ... that's the difference," he said.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Parliament and Law), Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan, while intervening, explained that under Standing Order 11 (3) also provides in the context of Parliament, sittings can be held normally or through special sittings.
"In 2009 a special sitting was held to discuss on the issue of Israeli aggression (into Palestine)," he said.
Today's special session allowed 218 MPs, except for two who tested positive for Covid-19 to attend proceedings in the Dewan Rakyat in strict adherence to standard operating procedures (SOPs), including having to undergo a Covid-19 screening test as well as wearing a face mask.