Pkr Mp Questions If Shorter Dewan Rakyat Sessions Meant To Bury Some Motions

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An opposition MP has questioned the motive behind the decision to shorten today's Dewan Rakyat session to three-hours and the possibility of half-day sitting during this week over Covid-19 concern.
"The decision to end the parliament session early today probably has some motives behind it and not solely for fear of Covid-19," said PKR Batu MP P Prabakaran in a statement.
"Law Minister Takiyuddin Hassan said the rescheduling of sitting would be for a week and later U-turned that it is on a daily basis, so what is the exact decision here?
"How much can you curb the spreading of Covid by shortening the sitting from 10am to 1pm? What difference will it make?" he said.
He questioned what could the Dewan Rakyat, which normally sits from 10am to 5.30pm from Monday to Thursday, achieve in resolving issues with just three-hour sitting in the first week.
Earlier today, Dewan Rakyat passed a motion to cut short today's sitting to 1pm to limit exposure to Covid-19 after "several" Dewan Negara staff members tested positive for the virus.
The current sitting, which commences today until Dec 15, will see Budget 2021 being tabled by this Friday as well as a total of 27 motions, with two motions of confidence in support of Muhyiddin Yassin and 25 against the prime minister.
"What is the purpose of the newly installed panels in between the MP's seats? The panels were there to protect us from the spread of Covid-19. Does that mean it is another failed project using people's funds?" questioned Prabakaran.
He reminded the Perikatan Nasional government that all the MPs and their officers had completed Covid-19 screening or swab test before entering the Parliament according to the guideline of the House.
He proposed weekly tests to be provided for MPs, their officers and Parliament staff so that the sitting could be continued peacefully.
"Many pending issues and motions to be tabled this time, by shortening the hours of the sitting will not help in any way. The issues of the rakyat have to be given priority,"
"(I) hope this is not another political strategy to bury some of the motions brought by the opposition," said Prabakaran, who is also the Federal Territories PKR Youth chief.  - Mkini

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