KUALA LUMPUR: The status of six Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) members of parliament (MPs), who have pledged support for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, is expected to take centre stage as the Dewan Rakyat reconvenes today.
All eyes will be on Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul, who is expected to make an announcement after Bersatu had, on June 20, submitted a notice stating that the six had ceased to become party members.
Under Article 49A of the Federal Constitution, the Speaker has 21 days from the date he received the notice to decide if a "casual vacancy" has occurred.
He will also have to notify the Election Commission of the vacancy within that period.
The six are Bukit Gantang MP Datuk Syed Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal, Jeli MP Zahari Kechik, Kuala Kangsar MP Datuk Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid, Tanjong Karang MP Datuk Dr Zulkafperi Hanapi and Labuan MP Datuk Suhaili Abdul Rahman as well as Gua Musang's Mohd Azizi Abu Naim, who was also Nenggiri assemblyman.
Kelantan state legislative assembly Speaker Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah had, on June 19, declared the seats vacant.
The Election Commission (EC) will hold a special meeting on June 28 to discuss the by-election for the Nenggiri seat.
Bersatu, via its vice-president and chief whip, Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee, had last Thursday submitted a notice to Johari to ask for the six seats to be declared vacant.
The second meeting of the third session of the 15th Parliament will take place for 15 days until July 18.
This session will also see a motion to refer Tasek Gelugor MP Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan to the Parliamentary Special Select Committee On Fundamental Liberty And Constitutional Rights be tabled.
This comes after the allegations he made at the Dewan Rakyat sessions on Feb 28 and March 21, in which he claimed that he had received an offer that a court case against him could be annulled and dropped if he declared his support for the unity government.
The session today, meanwhile, is also slated to provide updates on a slew of issues, such as the claims by the so-called heirs of the Sulu sultanate against Malay-sia, and the construction of Littoral Combatant Ship 2.
Recent developments in the Gaza conflict are also expected to be raised, with Pas president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang set to ask the government the extent of its intention to review the two-state solution approach during the question-and-answer session.
Concerns about cost of living are also expected to be highlighted, following the targeted diesel subsidy rationalisation move announced by the government.
The Health Ministry, meanwhile, is expected to table the proposed amendment to the Medical Act 1971 (Act 50), which seeks to address the gap between the parallel pathway programme and the local master's medicine programme,
The issue emerged after the Malaysian Medical Association asked Universiti Teknologi Mara to allow the entry of non-Bumiputera students for specialist training in cardiothoracic surgery, similar to how it accepts international students.
This came after the Malaysian Medical Council had rejected an application by four cardiothoracic surgeon to be listed in the National Specialists Registry as their "Fellowship of Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh in Cardiothoracic Surgery" accreditation were not recognised.
Also featured this sitting are the Malaysian Aviation Commission (Dissolution) Bill 2024 and Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (Amendment) Bill 2024, which will be tabled for the first reading.
This will facilitate the merger of the Malaysian Aviation Commission and Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia into a single aviation regulatory agency.