Dewan Negara Siting Has Been Postponed To Avoid Covid-19 Risk

Today’s hot topic was, of course, the announcement that “Dewan Negara siting has been postponed until further notice.”

According to Dewan Rakyat secretary Nizam Mydin Bacha Mydin, our prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin made the postponement in accordance with the Standing Orders 10(3) of the Dewan Negara.

The Dewan Negara sitting was scheduled to take place from the 3rd to the 5th of August, but it has been postponed due to recommendations from the health director-general and a risk assessment conducted by the health ministry in response to the spread of Covid-19 infections.

Picture credit: Parlimen Malaysia Official Facebook

It is also reported that 11 positive COVID-19 cases were detected in Parliament on Friday while the sitting was in session, with 10 cases detected using the antigen rapid test kit (RTK-Ag) using saliva and one tested using the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

On that note, Deputy Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob clarified that the decision was made based on the health ministry’s advice and current risk assessment, not on politics.

According to FMT, Noor Hisham advised the speaker to adjourn Parliament under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 (Act 342) only after the detection of additional cases.

Source: BERNAMA