The Dewan Rakyat in session in December last year. Speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun has said Parliament can be convened at any time and members may attend debates either physically or online. FILE PIC
The Dewan Rakyat in session in December last year. Speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun has said Parliament can be convened at any time and members may attend debates either physically or online. FILE PIC

A LOCAL daily on Sunday quoted Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun as saying that Parliament could be convened at any time and members of parliament could attend the sessions either physically or online ("Parlimen hibrid bila-bila masa", Mingguan Malaysia, June 6, 2021).

The speaker said the matter had been studied by the secretariat as well as Parliament's chief administrator and legal adviser for some time ("telah dikaji dan diteliti oleh pihak sekretariat dan Ketua Pentadbir Parlimen serta pihak Penasihat Undang-Undang agak lama").

The speaker's assurance should put to rest the depressing debate that had been raging for several months and earlier statements by ministers that Parliament could not be convened due to various reasons, which seemed to be just plain excuses, and therefore, no longer count.

The report brought cheer to an otherwise bleak weekend for many of us here in Kota Setar because the entire state of Kedah had been placed under Enhanced Movement Control Order, a situation much worse when compared with the other states — thanks to its menteri besar who chose to be different from the rest of the country.

Many would certainly have read distressing news of aged couples in Kota Setar, as they got out of their cars to head into the nearby supermarket to buy groceries, being issued a compound after being told by police that they had breached the standard operating procedure. Under the EMCO, two persons are not allowed to be in the same vehicle (something that was permissible under the MCO).

The latest news that had gone viral is about the Kedah menteri besar "window shopping" for (if not really test-driving) a new car in Penang. This does not help endear him to the people of the state. But, that is another Covid-19-related story.

Over a year ago (in May, 2020) a Canadian daily reported that the Canadian House of Commons was "ready and able" to implement a UK-style "hybrid" Parliament that allowed some MPs to attend sessions physically, while other MPs participated online via screens placed inside the chamber of the house. The House of Commons had suspended all regular sittings since March 13 last year due to the pandemic.

The lesson for us is that while Canada took just a few months to implement a hybrid session of its House of Commons, we took a much longer time to proceed along that direction. Nevertheless, better late than never.

With this new development that the Dewan Rakyat can now convene with some MPs attending in person while others may be advised to attend virtually, the important question on whether the current Emergency (scheduled to expire on Aug 1) should be extended ought to be properly debated before a vote is taken. The public should be allowed to follow the proceedings live on their television screens.

If the government garners enough votes to extend the Emergency, then the prime minister can advise the king accordingly.

It is vital for people to see how their representatives deal with this issue that affects their lives and livelihoods. With visibility, hopefully, there will be transparency and accountability.

The government should welcome a hybrid Parliament because it is the best forum to exhibit its record in handling the pandemic and give its reasons for an extension. It will definitely be welcomed by opposition MPs, as they could ask ministers to explain what they had done under the Emergency to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.

I welcome the suggestion that the government and the opposition bury the hatchet for now. Declare a "ceasefire" and stand shoulder to shoulder to fight this unseen menace. The people's wellbeing should always be top on the agenda. Following that, restoring democracy.

I wish to all MPs, "Welcome back to Parliament. Jom, let's work together."

The writer was a federal counsel at the Attorney-General's Chambers and visiting professor at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai. He is now a full-time consultant, trainer and author