KUALA LUMPUR (March 31): The Malaysian Parliament is formulating steps to be taken to prepare for the Dewan Rakyat sitting that has been scheduled on May 18 amid the Covid-19 outbreak, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan. 

“Several approaches have been taken into account, based on the development of phase two of the Movement Control Order, and the enhanced MCO in several locations,” said Takiyuddin in a statement. 

“The focus of the government is to ensure the safety of all members of the public, including members of parliament. 

“As such, all parties have to provide full cooperation to the officials who are working hard to battle this outbreak, by adhering to all instructions from the authorities,” the statement said. 

On March 4, Dewan Rakyat speaker Tan Sri Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof announced that the 14th Parliament sitting was initially postponed from March 9 to May 18. 

The Dewan Rakyat will sit for 15 days from May 18 to June 23. 

This came after Perikatan Nasional, led by Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, took over as federal government from Pakatan Harapan, which was retired after Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s resignation as prime minister.