Parliament may convene by next month

PETALING JAYA: The 13th Parliament will most likely convene its first session by June, before the fasting month of Ramadan in July, said caretaker Minister in the Prime Minister's department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz.

However, he said, it was still uncertain when the swearing-in ceremony for newly minted Members of Parliament (MPs) will take place as the Cabinet had yet to be formed.

“After the Cabinet is formed, only then will we have the swearing-in of MPs. The King's address will also normally be delivered after the ceremony,” he said yesterday.

Nazri, who is Padang Rengas MP, said the Parliament has already missed a chance to have a meeting in March and hence, the new session should start soon.

He said it was not compulsory for the House to meet three times a year.

Dewan Rakyat secretary Datuk Roosme Hamzah said no date has been set for the swearing-in ceremony so far because the leader of the House, namely the Prime Minister, had yet to notify the Parliament to arrange for it.

“Nevertheless, my staff and I are in high gear preparing for the coming session. We are in the process of setting up the database of the new MPs and gathering their contact details.

“Such information is important because we need to send out notices to the MPs to inform them of parliamentary affairs,” she said.

Roosme said the seating plan in the Dewan could not be arranged for now because ministers had yet to be appointed.

“The seating arrangement in the House is based on seniority of the MPs and whether they hold positions in the Cabinet. However, the Cabinet has not even been formed at the moment,” she said.

Since the DAP has garnered the most seats among its Pakatan Rakyat allies, Roosme said the Opposition would have to inform the Parliament whom they have chosen as the Opposition Leader.

She said Dewan sittings will still be held at the temporary chamber as the renovation on the old chamber was still in progress.

In the general election, Barisan Nasional won 133 parliamentary seats out of 222.

The Opposition coalition won 89 seats.

(Source: The Star Online)