PM Anwar to answer questions in MQT session every Tuesday - Speaker

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will answer questions addressed to him during the Minister's Question Time (MQT) every Tuesday throughout the Dewan Rakyat's current session.

This was announced by Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Johari Abdul before the MQT session on the second day of the First Meeting of the Second Session of the 15th Parliament today.

"This means that the prime minister will answer three questions (during MQT) and it starts today.

"Meanwhile, the relevant ministers will answer the questions posed during the MQT session on Thursday. We will notify you if there are any changes to this rule," he said.

Earlier, Anwar, in a posting on Facebook, said he would answer questions from Members of Parliament (MPs) during the Prime Minister's Question (PMQ) session in the Dewan Rakyat for the first time today.

Prior to this, Johari said the introduction of the PMQ session would require amendments to the Standing Order of the Dewan Rakyat before it could be gazetted as a regular session.

Meanwhile, as part of COVID-19 preventive measures, the Speaker said all MPs are encouraged to wear a face mask while in the Dewan Rakyat, adding that sanitisation activities will be conducted regularly.

The relaxation of the dress code announced in the previous session will also continue, namely, MPs have the option not to wear a necktie when attending the Dewan Rakyat session, and they are also allowed to wear long-sleeved Batik Malaysia every Thursday.

Johari also announced that Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah has given his consent to the laws passed in the Second Meeting of the Fifth Session of the 14th Parliament and the First Meeting of the First Session of the 15th Parliament.

The Acts include the Independent Police Conduct Commission Act 2022, Anti-Sexual Harassment Act 2022, Customs (Amendment) Act 2022 and Excise (Amendment) Act 2022.

Others are the Free Zones (Amendment) Act 2022, Tourism Tax (Amendment) Act 2022, Departure Levy (Amendment) Act 2022, Goods Vehicle Levy (Amendment) Act 2022, Windfall Profit Levy (Amendment) Act 2022, Sales Tax (Amendment) Act 2022, Service Tax (Amendment) Act 2022 and Consolidated Fund (Expenditure on Account) (Amendment) Act 2022.

-- BERNAMA