Dewan Rakyat Speaker: July 26-29 is ‘special sitting’ as Emergency still in effect, regular session from Sept 6

(MMO) – The five-day Dewan Rakyat sitting starting next Monday is a “special sitting” before the official session begins in September, Speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun announced.

Azhar issued two statements today. In the first, he said the “special sitting” of Parliament is for five days and will start on July 26 to July 29 and end on August 2.

He said he was informed by the prime minister that the special meeting is important for the benefit of the people before the date of the next regular sitting under the Rules 11(3) of the Dewan Rakyat Standing Orders.

“For that purpose, I was also informed that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong has given his blessing for the prime minister to call for the meeting even though the Emergency Proclamation dated January 11, 2021 is still in effect,” he said in the statement that referred to Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin by his official spelling as Mahiaddin Haji Md Yasin.

Azhar said the Dewan Rakyat secretary Nizam Mydin Bacha Mydin will formally inform all MPs about the start of the special meeting today, in response to several MPs who yesterday said they had yet to receive notice of the upcoming meeting.

“To ensure the safe preparation of the Dewan Rakyat Special Meeting, all MPs are reminded to adhere to the standard operating procedure of the Parliament sitting at all times, as set by the National Security Council and the Health Ministry,” he said.

In a second statement, Azhar announced the dates for the regular Dewan Rakyat session.

He said the first regular sitting will officially kick off on September 6 to September 30 while the second sitting will be from October 25 to December 16.

“With this notification, the fourth term of the 14th Parliament opening ceremony will be officiated by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on September 6, Monday at 10am at the Malaysian Parliament building,” he said.

The Prime Minister’s Office announced on July 5 that the lower House of Parliament will sit for five days from July 26 to August 2 while the senate session will start from August 3.

The Agong has called for Parliament to lift the suspension of Parliament several times this year.

He issued a statement on June 16 after a discussion with the heads of the country’s nine royal houses known as the Conference of Rulers.

The King issued a second statement on June 29.