Covid-19 related bills to be tabled in July

(FMT) – The government will be tabling several bills related to Covid-19 in the July sitting of the Dewan Rakyat.

The minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of legal affairs, Takiyuddin Hassan, said the bills are to ease the burden of the public and businesses due to the pandemic.

Takiyuddin said the government is maintaining the one-day sitting of the house on May 18, despite Pakatan Harapan’s calls to hold a longer meeting.

PH component party leaders Anwar Ibrahim, Lim Guan Eng and Mohamad Sabu had protested against the one-day sitting, saying Malaysia should emulate Britain, Canada and Singapore, which had held longer parliamentary proceedings despite the Covid-19 crisis.

Reports said the sitting will not include any question-and-answer session, written questions or motions.

Takiyuddin also said the seating for the MPs will be modified to comply with social distancing.

“We had considered the fact that public gatherings are not suitable for now, thus we are maintaining a one-day sitting on May 18,” he said.

Parliament had originally scheduled to meet for 15 days from May 18.