SEREMBAN: The four-day Negri Sembilan state assembly sitting due to officially start on Monday (March 21) morning had to be deferred after both the Speaker and Deputy Speaker tested positive for Covid-19.

       Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun said he informed state Ruler Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir, who was supposed to have officially opened the event, of the development during an audience early Monday morning.

       He said Speaker Datuk Zulkefly Mohamad Omar tested positive late Sunday (March 20) night while his deputy Datuk M. Ravi fell ill on Saturday (March 19).

       "We also decided to defer the sitting as several staff on duty, including department heads scheduled to attend, have also tested positive," he told reporters.

       Aminuddin said the exco could have appointed an individual to temporarily carry out the duties of the Speaker but decided against it.

       "Two bills were supposed to have been tabled during this sitting and we felt it would be better if we had the Speaker or Deputy Speaker present," he said.

       Asked if any of the other Pakatan Harapan assemblymen had also tested positive, Aminuddin said there were none.

       However, he did not have information concerning Barisan Nasional assemblymen.

       Twenty of the 36 assemblymen in the state are from Pakatan and 16 from Barisan.