Second dose of vaccine completed, PH MPs urge Parliament to be opened

KUALA LUMPUR: Pakatan Harapan (PH) MPs have once again reiterated their call for a parliamentary session to be held without having to wait for the emergency proclamation period to end.

Seputeh MP Teresa Kok said it was because most MPs had finished receiving the second dose of COVID-19 vaccine injection, thus reducing concerns about the spread of COVID-19 if Parliament reconvened.

Teresa said it was unreasonable not to allow elected representatives to carry out their responsibilities in Parliament as other economic activities and sectors were given permission to open.

"We know that on April 6, the government will open stadiums and allow the public to watch football matches.

“However, most MPs have already received the second dose of vaccine, why can't Parliament be opened?

"Previously, the reason was that most MPs were aged 60 and above and belonged to a high-risk group but now, we have finished receiving the second dose of vaccine injection," she said at a press conference at the Kuala Lumpur Health Clinic after receiving the second dose of Pfizer BioNTech vaccine on Monday.

Among the MPs who were present to receive the second dose of the vaccine were Lim Lip Eng (Kepong), Datin Dr Tan Yee Kew (Wangsa Maju), Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad (Setiawangsa), Fahmi Fadzil (Lembah Pantai), Hannah Yeoh (Segambut) , Tan Kok Wai (Cheras), Fong Kui Lun (Bukit Bintang), Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad (Kuala Selangor) and M. Kulasegaran (Ipoh Barat).

Meanwhile, Nik Nazmi and Fahmi, who were also present at the press conference, agreed with Teresa and said Parliament should reconvene to ensure that there is a check and balance process on all decisions made by the government.

“It is strange why the Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara, which are the highest law-making bodies in the country, cannot be opened for MPs to perform our duties.

“The Yang di-Pertuan Agong has decreed that the proclamation of emergency does not prevent Parliament from sitting.

"It is so that the elected representatives can carry out our duties and of course for us as the opposition to monitor what the government is doing and also for the government to prove that they have a majority in Parliament," said Nik Nazmi.

Earlier, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Parliament and Law), Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan, said the Cabinet had agreed to postpone the parliamentary session until Aug 1 to allow the government to focus fully on efforts against COVID-19.