He said there is no need for the special session and stressed that a full Parliamentary sitting could be held if all MPs, including those from Sabah and Sarawak, are already in Kuala Lumpur.

“He (Dewan Rakyat speaker) wants the MPs to be physically present, and when they are here (in Parliament), they will meet for about half a day to approve what?” said Fahmi during a Facebook Live broadcast last night.

“It’s just to approve a few things for the hybrid sitting. They (the MPs) have already been called to come to Kuala Lumpur in early August, so they should just have a full parliamentary sitting.”

In a joint statement on Friday, Dewan Rakyat speaker Azhar Azizan Harun and Senate president Rais Yatim proposed that a special sitting of Parliament be held in early August to discuss how a hybrid parliamentary sitting – partly online and partly in person – could be held.

They said the special sitting could discuss amendments to Standing Orders and the technical aspects needed to enable hybrid meetings, after which full parliamentary proceedings could be held by the end of August or early September.

Fahmi, who is also PKR communications director, said the government should not be afraid of Parliament reconvening because a vote of confidence would not be on the agenda.

“I do not understand why this issue arose because all the existing motions (including the vote of confidence or no confidence) were rejected so as to prioritise government affairs first,” he said.

Parliament and all state assemblies have been suspended under the state of emergency declared on Jan 12.