The Third Session of the 14th Parliament sitting on May 18 for half a day, involving the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s speech with no debates, was unconstitutional and unlawful, the High Court here was told today.
“Moreover, the purported ‘reason’ for a one-day sitting based on the COVID-19 pandemic is merely a fig leaf. Legislatures in the United Kingdom, Singapore and Canada, for example, have convened to pass legislation necessitated by COVID-19,“ he added. Therefore, she said, the court should decline the plaintiffs’ invitation to exercise its judicial authority over Dewan Rakyat proceedings.
They claimed the first sitting was illusory as there were no other important events that took place as stated under the Standing Order 14 of the Dewan Rakyat.