In bipartisan show, Selangor govt backbenchers and Opposition pledge to reopen state assembly
PETALING JAYA, June 22 — In a show of bipartisanship, both the Selangor government backbenchers and opposition pledged their support for the reopening of the legislative assembly at the soonest.
In a joint statement, the backbenchers’ club chairman Elizabeth Wong and Opposition Leader Datuk Rizam Ismail said their commitment is in line with the latest decree by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the Conference of Rulers last week.
“This legislative assembly is important for both the state and federal level so that every debate concerning the people’s welfare can be conducted together in a transparent manner in our fight against Covid-19.
“The concerns raised by His Majesty and the Malay Rulers must be taken seriously by all so that issues pertaining to the people, economy and the country can be addressed immediately,” they said.
Wong and Rizam are assemblyman from Bukit Lanjan and Sungai Air Tawar, respectively.
Their statement followed a similar pledge by Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari last week in seeking the consent of the Sultan of Selangor to reconvene the state legislative assembly in the shortest time possible.
Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, following a meeting with the Conference of Rulers last week, had decreed that Parliament should meet as soon as possible to discuss issues pertaining to the Emergency Ordinances and other government measures.
Parliament sittings have been suspended since the first quarter of the year, following the invocation of the Emergency Ordinance, which Putrajaya said will provide the government with the ability to mobilise all necessary resources to combat the outbreak.
On Tuesday Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said he expects Parliament to reconvene by August or September, when daily Covid-19 cases are projected to drop to below 2,000 and social sectors are reopened in stages.
The Emergency is scheduled to end on August 1.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced the formation of a committee made up of government and Opposition lawmakers who will look into the important aspects of reconvening Parliament before the next session is called.
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