KUALA LUMPUR: Senators aligned with the Opposition turned up in Parliament to protest the postponement of the Dewan Negara sitting, which was originally scheduled to sit from Aug 3 to 5.

       The police presence in Parliament grounds was much lighter yesterday, compared to Monday when the MPs protested the postponement of the last day of the Dewan Rakyat’s special five-day sitting.

       The roads leading to Parliament were not blocked by the authorities yesterday, unlike on Monday.

       There are currently 16 Opposition-friendly senators – 14 from Pakatan Harapan and one each from Parti Warisan Sabah and Upko.

       Some senators and staff were allowed inside Parliament grounds while those who arrived slightly later weren’t allowed entry.

       At around 9.45am, senator Mohd Yusmadi Mohd Yusoff handed over a memorandum to protest the postponement of Parliament to a representative of Dewan Negara president, Tan Sri Rais Yatim.

       Shortly after, Mohd Yusmadi addressed the media by reading out a joint statement by the senators in their ranks.

       “We agree with the King’s decree that the revocation of the Emergency Proclamation and its Ordinances was done by the government without transparency and it did not go through both houses (Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara) as well as being unconstitutional,” he said, adding that the latest Dewan Negara sitting was postponed at short notice and did not go through the right Dewan Negara Standing Orders.

       “We were also informed that nearly all MPs, senators and Parliament staff have received two doses of the vaccine and herd immunity can be achieved in Parliament.

       “Therefore, we are of the opinion that Dewan Negara is safe to sit,” he said.

       Senator Raj Munni Sabu expressed similar sentiments as he urged Dewan Negara to reconvene.

       After several senators addressed the press, the police told those who gathered there to disperse at 10.10am.

       On Sunday, Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the Parliament sitting and its meetings would be postponed for two weeks starting July 29 after 11 positive cases were found.