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.
Lawyer Bastian Vendargon, representing lawyer, R. Kengadharan, and a social activist, D. Arumugam in a suit against Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and former Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof, submitted that in doing so, the government had exercised its powers for an improper purpose, which was to prevent the Parliament from carrying out its constitutional duties.
"By barring Members (of Parliament) from doing anything apart from sitting still, while the Agong delivers His Majesty's address, the actual purpose of the government's agenda is plainly to exert full and illegitimate control over Parliament. Not only is this unconstitutional, it is also unlawful, being an improper exercise of the power conferred.
"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.
Kengadharan, and Arumugam filed the suit last May 15, naming Muhyiddin and Mohamad Ariff as the first and second defendant respectively, to seek a declaration that the one-day sitting was unconstitutional.
Senior federal counsel Suzana Atan, however, submitted that matters relating to the calendar and the Order of Business of the Parliament are all related to the Dewan Rakyat’s proceedings and immune from judicial interference by virtue of Article 63 of the Federal Constitution.
Therefore, she said, the court should decline the plaintiffs’ invitation to exercise its judicial authority over Dewan Rakyat proceedings.
"In any event, their (plaintiff) complaint is devoid of merit as the amendments to the calendar and Order of Business were all in compliance of the provisions of the Standing Orders. Even if the plaintiffs hold a contrary view, the non-compliance of the Standing Orders are mere irregularities.
"For these reasons, we pray that the plaintiffs' application to be dismissed with costs," said Suzana who is assisted by senior federal counsel S. Narkunavathy.
The presiding judge, Datuk Ahmad Kamal Md. Shahid, then fixed Sept 3 to deliver his decision.
According to the lawsuit, Kengadharan, and Arumugam are seeking a declaration that the May 18 Parliament sitting was null and void as it only heard the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s speech and therefore contravened Article 55 (1) of the Federal Constitution.
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.
Dewan Rakyat secretary Nizam Mydin Bacha Mydin, in his affidavit filed on behalf of Muhyiddin and Mohamad Ariff, said the May 18 Parliament sitting was in accordance with the Federal Constitution and the Dewan Rakyat Standing Order.
According to Nizam Mydin, the application by Kengadharan, and Arumugam has no merit as the validity of any Dewan Rakyat proceedings cannot be challenged in any court as stipulated under Article 63 (1) of the Federal Constitution.
On May 13, Mohamad Ariff, in a statement said he had received a notification letter signed by Prime Minister as the Ketua Majlis stating that the government has decided that the agenda for the First Meeting of the Third Session of the 14th Parliament, which will take place for one day, has been amended to focus only on the Royal Address.
He said this was due to the fact that the COVID-19 pandemic in the country was not fully over.
-- BERNAMA
Bernama
Thu Jul 30 2020
The presiding judge, Datuk Ahmad Kamal Md. Shahid, then fixed Sept 3 to deliver his decision.
Kerajaan Perpaduan tidak pernah tahan wartawan, tutup media - Fahmi
Menurut Fahmi, sehingga kini mana-mana wartawan masih boleh menulis laporan termasuk memberikan kritikan terhadap kerajaan.
Pengebumian jenazah Leftenan Komander Wan Rezaudeen Kamal
Umavathi Ramayah membawakan perkembangan terkini pengebumian Allahyarham Leftenan Komander Wan Rezaudeen Kamal di Tanah Perkuburan Raudhatul Sakinah, Kuala Lumpur.
Sindiket beli ganja hampir 100kg seminggu dari Thailand tumpas
Sindiket yang aktif sejak dua tahun lalu itu dikesan membuat pesanan ganja berharga antara RM800 hingga RM1,000, dan ia diseludup masuk ke negara ini dari Thailand dengan menggunakan perkhidmatan kurier.
MB Terengganu sedia kongsi kepakaran bantu siasatan nahas helikopter TLDM
Menteri Besar Terengganu, Datuk Ser Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar sedia membantu dan berkongsi kepakaran sekiranya diperlukan dalam membantu menyiasat insiden dua helikopter Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia (TLDM) yang terhempas di Lumut, Perak.
Inspektor polis didakwa lakukan amang seksual terhadap remaja 16 tahun ditahan
Seorang pegawai polis berpangkat inspektor ditahan selepas didakwa melakukan amang seksual terhadap seorang remaja perempuan berumur 16 tahun.
Penganggur terlepas tali gantung, hukuman mati diganti penjara 30 tahun, 12 sebatan
Seorang penganggur terlepas tali gantung selepas Mahkamah Persekutuan menggantikan hukuman mati terhadapnya dengan penjara 30 tahun bagi kesalahan membunuh.
Nahas helikopter Lumut: Kerajaan beri bantuan RM10,000 kepada keluarga mangsa
Kerajaan menyalurkan bantuan awal sebanyak RM10,000 kepada keluarga mangsa yang terkorban dalam nahas helikopter di Pangkalan Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia (TLDM) Lumut, pada Selasa.
Kawalan di KLIA Terminal 1 dan 2 dipertingkat dengan 4 skuter elektrik
Kawalan keselamatan di KLIA Terminal 1 dan 2 oleh PDRM terus dipertingkatkan dengan penggunaan empat skuter elektrik.
AWANI Borneo [24/04/2024] – Nahas helikopter | Bernilai RM1.76 juta | Rakyat diutamakan
AWANI Borneo Rabu, 24 April 2025 bersama Assim Iskandar.
- Nahas helikopter : Jasad mendiang Joanna dikebumikan di Serian esok.
- Polis tumpaskan sindiket seludup dadah ke Sarawak bermilai RM1.76 juta.
- DUN Sabah : Pembangkang tidak dipinggir, peruntukan tetap diberikan - Hajiji
- Nahas helikopter : Jasad mendiang Joanna dikebumikan di Serian esok.
- Polis tumpaskan sindiket seludup dadah ke Sarawak bermilai RM1.76 juta.
- DUN Sabah : Pembangkang tidak dipinggir, peruntukan tetap diberikan - Hajiji
Tony Fernandes lanjut kontrak 5 tahun sebagai CEO Capital A
CEO Capital A Bhd Tony Fernandes telah menandatangani kontrak perkhidmatan baharu untuk tempoh lima tahun akan datang.
UNDP, Malaysia teruskan kerjasama pemantapan institusi legislatif, pembangunan bakat dan belia
Johari dan Xu terlibat dalam perbincangan yang membuahkan hasil positif dalam pelbagai bidang khususnya mengenai pemerkasaan Parlimen.
Enam Ahli Parlimen Bersatu tidak perlu kosongkan kerusi - Nazri
Beliau menegaskan perkara itu merupakan asas utama akta tersebut dicadangkan dan dibentangkan di parlimen pada tahun 2022.
Berita tempatan pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Berikut adalah berita yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang Rabu, 27 Mac 2024.
Dewan Rakyat ditangguh selepas 19 hari bersidang
Persidangan Mesyuarat Pertama Penggal Ketiga Parlimen ke-15 melabuhkan tirai hari ini selepas 19 hari bersidang bermula 26 Feb lepas.
Parlimen: 2.1 juta murid manfaatkan penggunaan DELIMa
Inisiatif itu mengandungi pelbagai perkhidmatan, aplikasi dan kandungan yang ditambah baik secara berterusan sesuai dengan perkembangan teknologi yang terkini.
Trend serangan siber meningkat - Gobind
Bagaimanapun katanya, terdapat perkembangan positif direkodkan pada 2023 apabila hanya 3,232 kes dilaporkan kepada NACSA.
Parlimen: Cadangan pindaan Akta Rukun Tetangga sedang dikemas kini - Saraswathy
Beliau berkata pindaan itu akan memberikan lebih fokus kepada inisiatif rukun tetangga yang sedang dilaksanakan pada masa ini.
Parlimen: Hasil kerajaan diunjur meningkat kepada RM312.2 bilion pada 2024
Hasil kerajaan Persekutuan pada tahun ini diunjurkan meningkat kepada RM312.2 bilion selepas mengambil kira langkah cukai Belanjawan 2024, disumbangkan kutipan hasil cukai yang lebih tinggi.
265 taska tempat kerja berdaftar dengan JKM tahun lepas
Sebanyak 265 taman asuhan kanak-kanak (Taska) di tempat kerja berdaftar dengan Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat (JKM) di seluruh negara sepanjang tahun lepas membabitkan agensi kerajaan dan swasta.
Gaji guru Pasti: Semua kena patuh Akta Kerja 1955 - KPM
Sebelum ini, tular satu memo daripada JTKSM mengenai arahan siasatan pemeriksaan berkanun terhadap Pasti.