I refer to the recent statement by the Deputy Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat, Azalina Othman Said, calling for parliament to reconvene.
It is encouraging to see the Deputy Speaker championing the role and importance of parliament, especially in light of the worsening Covid-19 situation. As she puts it, we are the only country in the world that has immobilised parliament in times of crisis.
If the Deputy Speaker herself is unable to obtain an answer from the attorney-general and law minister, what chance do the other MPs and ordinary Malaysians have in keeping the government accountable?
Yet, I can’t help but wonder if the Dewan Rakyat Speaker and the other Deputy Speaker share the same thought and passion as her.
Nevertheless, the Deputy Speaker has outlined several suggestions on the SOP for parliament to reconvene. As a sitting member of the Dewan Rakyat, I fully endorse and support the recommendations made by the Deputy Speaker. Many of the suggestions are indeed in line with what other MPs, political parties, and civil society have highlighted before.
However, I would also urge the Deputy Speaker and my colleagues to not wait for the government any longer. Their actions (and inactions) in the past year has shown that the government cannot be relied upon and has failed in many ways.
I propose for the Deputy Speaker to take the lead and convene an alternative “People’s Parliament” session. This session will be jointly organised by the Deputy Speaker’s office and any interested political parties that are represented in parliament. The proceedings will be held virtually.
All that is required is for the political parties and MPs to voluntarily agree to participate. The Deputy Speaker can take the lead by establishing the format and rules of engagement for the virtual parliament session.
The People’s Parliament session is an informal alternative and has no legal force, but it will provide a critical platform for MPs to debate and discuss critical matters of governance. The Ministers should also support and participate in the session. If not, shame on them.
In many ways, this proposal is similar to the “Parlimen Digital” initiative that was successfully organised by several youth groups in July last year. The youth have shown us that it can be done. It is time for us to step up and continue the challenge.
Khoo Poay Tiong
MP Kota Melaka
