New senate president to be elected today

The focus on the first day would be on who will be appointed as the 18th Senate president to replace Tan Sri S.A. Vigneswaran, whose tenure expired on June 22.

According to the Standing Orders of the Senate, members of the upper house of the Parliament shall, upon forming a quorum, elect a new president when the post falls vacant.

After the appointment of the president, four new Members of the Senate are also scheduled to be sworn in, namely Mohamad Apandi Mohamad, (appointed by Kelantan State Assembly), Datuk Seri S. Vell Paari (appointed by the Agong), and Ahmad Yahaya and Datuk Wira Othman Aziz (appointed by Kedah State Assembly).

The swearing-in ceremony will be held at 9.45 am after the appointment of the new president.

In line with the ongoing Recovery Movement Control Order, the Senate sitting is expected to be conducted in accordance with the standard operating procedures as stipulated by the government.

The sitting is expected to debate 10 bills that were passed by the Dewan Rakyat.

It includes three bills pertaining to the COVID-19 pandemic, namely the Temporary Measures for Reducing the Impact of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Bill 2020; the Temporary Measures for Government Financing (Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)) Bill 2020; and the Insolvency (Amendment) Bill 2020.