Measures to Mitigate Covid-19 in the Dewan Rakyat (House of Representatives) of Malaysia: Implications to Parliamentary Privileges
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54313/journalmp.v4i.118Keywords:
Dewan Rakyat, Parliamentary Privileges, Parliamentary Procedures, Standing Orders, Separation of PowersAbstract
The surge of Covid-19 cases worldwide has had its impact on how every institution discharges its functions, including the legislature. Governments, under the pretext of containing the spread of the virus, have paralysed parliament and incapacitated it from performing its duties, particularly its oversight function. This article explores the extent to which the standard operating procedures (SOP) for Covid-19 in the Dewan Rakyat (House of Representatives) of Malaysia should be permitted under the Federal Constitution of Malaysia on parliamentary procedure. Despite attempts to restrict parliament in many countries, legislatures such as in Canada, Australia and Brazil have demonstrated their ability to adapt and move progressively to minimise disruptions that the pandemic might cause to
parliament. Taken together, legislatures’ responses in times of Covid-19 offer an interesting impression of parliamentary privileges while also raise an important question of the role of parliament in representing people and checking the government actions.
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