Politics

No notification on Dewan Rakyat dissolution yet, says Speaker

KUALA LUMPUR: There has been no notification about the dissolution of the Dewan Rakyat until now, said the Speaker of the lower house of Parliament, Tan Sri Azhar Azizan Harun.

Accordingly, he said, the Dewan Rakyat session for the Third Meeting, Fifth Term of the Fourteenth Parliament will continue its sitting as scheduled tomorrow.

Commenting further, he said, tomorrow's Dewan Rakyat meeting would be the first day of the 2023 Budget debate.

The budget was tabled by Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz last Friday.

"Yes, it will continue, as usual... unless I have been informed of anything... so far there has been no notification... I do not know about this (dissolution of Parliament) because it is the power of the Prime Minister and the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

"Tomorrow will be minister's question time (MQT), oral questions and continuation of the 2023 Budget," he told Berita Harian today.

Based on the Parliament's calendar, the current Dewan Rakyat sitting, which began on Oct 3 is scheduled to sit until Nov 29.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob reportedly had an audience with Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah at Istana Negara, rumoured to be about getting the King's approval on the dissolution of Parliament.

The Yang di-Pertuan Agong left for London last night for a special visit to the United Kingdom which begins today until Oct 16.

Seen sending off the King at the airport was Azhar. His presence was linked to rumours of impending Parliament dissolution today.

When asked to comment on the matter, Azhar said there was no direct discussion on the dissolution of Parliament while he was at the airport.

He said he only prayed for a safe departure of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

"There was no discussion at all, not even for a minute... I prayed for safety for His Majesty before he left... that's all.

"I will indeed accompany the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to the airport if he goes abroad unless I am in the Dewan," he said.

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