KUALA LUMPUR – Perikatan Nasional (PN) lawmakers are in an uproar after the Dewan Rakyat abruptly adjourned, cutting off the opportunity to debate and vote on the contentious citizenship amendment bill.
Citing Standing Order 12, opposition whip Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan (Kota Bharu-PN) claimed the lower House should continue to sit today until the government’s business on the Order Paper is completed.
“Once, we even sat in the House until 3-4am to complete the government’s order of business. The abrupt close seems like a ploy by the government to not complete what is in the Order Paper, especially the citizenship amendment bill.
“Why did Deputy Speaker Datuk Ramli Mohd Nor adjourn the House for a break between 1pm and 2.30pm while that did not take place in previous sittings?
“Eleven of us are ready to debate the constitutional amendments but were not given the opportunity to do so,” he told a press conference at Parliament today.
Takiyuddin also reiterated his doubt that the government abided by the procedures outlined under Article 159(5) of the Federal Constitution, which stipulates that the Conference of Rulers must consent to any proposed constitutional changes.
“The lengthy briefing delivered by the ministry and its relevant agencies on the proposed amendments differs from the amendment bill tabled. Has the government presented the new amendments to the Conference of Rulers?”
The Dewan Rakyat will reconvene from June 24 to July 18.
Yesterday, Takiyuddin, who is also PAS secretary-general, urged for the bill to be referred to a parliamentary special select committee (PSSC).
He also labelled the exclusion of the amendments against granting automatic citizenship to foundlings as an “unacceptable” issue that “should not have happened” and accused the government of “shifting the goalpost”.
He added that when opposition lawmakers met with Saifuddin after the tabling of the bill, the minister had given explanations that the opposition “could not accept as justifiable” and that the opposition should have been informed beforehand of the removal of the proposed amendments.
“The government of the day came up with the proposed amendments to Article 15A(ii) to initiate no more automatic citizenships, (as) the process will instead have to go through registration measures.”
In the bill that was tabled by Saifuddin yesterday for first reading, the government removed amendments that would have impacted foundlings in the country, as its initially suggested amendments sought to amend citizenship by “operation of law” to citizenship by “registration”. – March 27, 2024