[ENGLISH VERSION BELOW] Kami terperanjat dengan keputusan kerajaan untuk mengadakan sidang parlimen selama hanya satu hari pada 18 Mei. Ini adalah sidang pertama parlimen sejak “Langkah Sheraton” yang dilakukan oleh kerajaan pintu belakang.

Sidang Parlimen satu hari yang lucu ini nampaknya semata-mata untuk mengisi keperluan perlembagaan, iaitu Parlimen perlu bersidang tidak lebih daripada enam bulan sejak sidang parlimen terakhir. Parlimen terakhir bersidang pada bulan Disember 2019.

Menangguhkan sidang yang sebenarnya ke bulan Julai - lebih daripada lapan bulan sejak sidang sebenar terakhir - adalah mengejek-ejek keperluan perlembagaan yang bertujuan untuk memastikan pihak eksekutif tidak memonopoli kuasa begitu lama tanpa pengawasan Parlimen.

Kami memohon agar sekurang-kurangnya sidang Parlimen selama dua minggu bermula 18 Mei (tidak termasuk cuti Raya) - mungkin melalui tele-sidang atau penjarakan sosial yang teratur - untuk diadakan secepat mungkin supaya isu-isu kritikal dapat dibentang dan didebat serta merta!

English version

We are shocked by the government’s decision to convene only a one-day parliamentary sitting on 18 May - the first sitting of the house since the infamous “Sheraton Move” led to a backdoor government.

This farcical one-day parliamentary sitting appears to be just to fulfil the constitutional requirement that Parliament should convene no later than six months from the last parliamentary sitting. Parliament last met in December 2019.

To defer the actual proceedings to July - more than eight months from the last proper sitting - makes a mockery of this constitutional requirement, which was aimed at ensuring that the executive does not hold a monopoly of power without any parliamentary oversight for too long.

We call for at least a two-week Parliament sitting from 18 May (excluding the Raya break) - perhaps through teleconferencing or with proper social distancing – to be held as soon as possible so that critical issues can be tabled and debated immediately!

See the full Aliran statement here

See article by P Ramakrishnan

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