Lim said that the screenings conducted three days before Parliament sat for a special meeting on July 26 had identified 53 positive cases out of 1,925 tests, with a positivity rate of 2.8%.

“On Thursday, there were only 11 positive cases out of 1,183 tests, or a positivity rate of 0.9%.

“It is ridiculous that Parliament is allowed to sit when the positivity rate is 2.8% but not when it is 0.9%. This is not science,” he said in a statement today.

The Bagan MP was responding to a report earlier in which deputy prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob had claimed the postponement was made based on the advice and current risk assessment conducted by the health ministry. He said the postponement had nothing to do with politics.

The Dewan Rakyat sitting, which was set to resume on Monday, has been postponed to a new date which will be announced later, according to a circular sent to MPs yesterday evening.

The postponement was made by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin in accordance with the Standing Orders and was in line with the risk analysis by the health ministry following the detection of Covid-19 cases in Parliament.

Lim said the figures clearly show that the Perikatan National leadership was only interested in clinging on to power and position and this had nothing to do with health concerns as claimed.

He added that the prime minister feared debates on the King’s public statement that he had not given his consent for the repeal of the emergency ordinances.

He added that most of the MPs were not afraid to meet despite the discovery of Covid-19 infections in Parliament for the sake of the country, the Federal Constitution, the people and the future.

“For those MPs who are afraid, they need not come. Let those who do not fear but are more concerned for the future of the lives and livelihood of Malaysians to attend Parliament.

“The DAP MPs will be there tomorrow,” Lim said.

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