Possible closure of schools in COVID-19 red zones among issues in Parliament today

The Ministry of Education’s (MOE) decision on the possible closure of all schools in COVID-19 Red Zones, is among the issues to be raised at the Dewan Rakyat sitting, which enters its 13th day today.

According to the Order Paper on the Parliament website, during the Minister’s Question Time, Teo Nie Ching (PH-Kulai) will be asking the Minister of Education to state whether the ministry mulls to close all schools in the COVID-19 Red Zones such as Kuching, Sarawak, and if not, state whether wearing face masks will be made mandatory.

Datuk Liew Vui Keong (Warisan-Batu Sapi), on the other hand, is scheduled to ask the Prime Minister to state whether the government intends to introduce a special law such as the Administration of Justice (Protection) Act 2016 in Singapore in order to deal with the rising number of contempt of court cases especially on social media more effectively.

Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (PH-Port Dickson) is also expected to ask the Prime Minister to state the reasons why the tabling of the 12th Malaysia Plan (RMK-12) was postponed from August to next year and the extent to which fiscal issues have become the factors of the postponement aside from the reasons such as the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

The sitting will then continue with the debate on the motion of thanks for the Royal Address with seven ministries scheduled to wind up the debate later.

Several bills will be tabled for second reading, namely the Supplementary Supply (2019) Bill 2020, Supply (Reallocation of Appropriated Expenditure) Bill 2020, Road Transport (Amendment) Bill 2020, and the Poisons (Amendment) Bill 2019.

The current Dewan Rakyat sitting, which runs for 25 days until Aug 27, is held in a new normal by abiding by the prescribed standard operating procedures (SOP) to curb the spread of COVID-19.

-- BERNAMA