Malaysia's Parliament to sit this month after Covid-19 suspension
It will reconvene to debate the government's pandemic response
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's Parliament will sit this month after being suspended in January under a coronavirus emergency, the government said yesterday, following criticism that the embattled premier was using the crisis to cling to power.
Malaysia's King, Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah, declared a nationwide state of emergency at the start of the year on the advice of Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin to fight an escalating Covid-19 outbreak.
Parliament was suspended at the same time, leading critics to charge Mr Muhyiddin - who took office last year - was using the emergency to shore up his weak coalition and avoid a no-confidence vote.
But anger mounted sharply, and even the King himself has recently called for the legislature to reconvene before the emergency officially ends next month to debate the government's pandemic response.
The Prime Minister's Office said in a statement the government had agreed to a five-day sitting of the Lower House of Parliament from July 26.
The sitting will centre on the government's recovery plans, and changes on how future Parliament sessions can be held during the pandemic. The Upper House will also sit for several days.
Parliament's last session - during which Mr Muhyiddin's government narrowly passed its budget - ended in December.
Analysts downplayed the chance of anything dramatic happening at the short Parliament sitting, however.
"It would appear that Muhyiddin is now convinced that he commands a parliamentary majority," said analyst at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs Oh Ei Sun, although he added the picture could change in coming weeks.
Malaysia expert James Chin from the University of Tasmania said opposition lawmakers would use the session "to embarrass the government as much as possible" over the pandemic - but predicted it would not lead to a change of government.
Malaysia recorded 6,387 cases yesterday, taking the total to 785,039. There were 77 deaths, taking the toll to 5,574.
Health Minister Adham Baba said Covid-19 variants have been detected in 584 cases so far, Bernama reported.
Of the 584 cases, 40 were of the more infectious Delta variant. - AFP, THE STAR
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