KUALA LUMPUR, March 1 — Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof today said that the Parliament sitting scheduled for March 9 might be postponed to a later date.
Mohamad Ariff said that he would discuss the matter with the Prime Minister’s Office to obtain confirmation and finalise a date for the next sitting.
“Maybe not on March 9. I will officially contact the PMO tomorrow,” he told the Berita Harian news portal.
According to schedule, the 1st meeting of the 3rd session of the 14th Parliament should begin on March 9 and was to be attended by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
The Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition, now in the opposition following today’s swearing-in of Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as prime minister, has been calling for the Parliament session to be maintained in order to endorse the Prime Minister’s position and get certainty that he commanded the majority of the 222 MPs of the lower house.
He said that the sitting must be done soon as the new federal government under PPBM, Umno, Pas and other parties may attempt to postpone it as long as they can, in order to induce the 112 MPs that reportedly supports Dr Mahathir to defect to the other side.