KUALA LUMPUR: Members of Parliament (MPs) who were ordered to undergo home quarantine last week may briefly attend Dewan Rakyat sittings to vote for the Supply Bill 2021 – but under stringent standard operating procedures.
Speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun said they will be transported in an ambulance from their residences and escorted immediately to a special room at Parliament upon arrival.
"I was made to understand that there are three people (MPs) who had sought permission to attend (Parliament sitting). If allowed, they would be required to wear PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) and enter the public gallery.
"Their votes will be counted, while both the vote counter and observer in charge would have to wear face visors (in addition to masks).
"The MPs would then be asked to leave immediately to limit exposure to others," he said in response to a query from Dr Kelvin Yii Lee Wuen (PH-Bandar Kuching).
Azhar said he is merely adhering to SOPs by the Health Ministry and director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.
He was responding to protests by several opposition MPs who questioned the decision to allow those under home quarantine to be present in the Lower House, raising concerns over Covid-19 infection risks.
It was reported that Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba, Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M Saravanan, and MP P Prabakaran (PH-Batu) are undergoing home quarantine following contact with Covid-19 patients.
