IPOH, Aug 23 — Three assemblymen will not be allowed to attend the Perak state legislative assembly, which will reconvene on Wednesday. 

Perak Speaker Mohammad Zahir Abdul Khalid said one tested positive for Covid-19 and one more had close contact with a Covid-19 patient while the other one has yet to be vaccinated.

"These three assemblymen will not be allowed to attend the sitting based on the advice and instruction from the Health Ministry and State National Security Council,” he told a press conference at Bangunan Perak Darul Ridzuan. 

He also said the assemblyman who tested positive for Covid-19 is awaiting further instruction from the Health Ministry while the one who had close contact is undergoing home quarantine. 

"As for the assemblyman who is yet to be inoculated, I have personally informed him that he will be not be able to participate in the sitting. He did not show any objection,” he said. 

When asked who these three assemblymen are, Mohammad Zahir said he will reveal their names on the first day of the sitting. 

He added that the state assembly secretariat and his deputy also tested positive for Covid-19.

"Apart from the state assembly secretariat and the deputy, there were also several other officials who had close contact with Covid-19 patients,” he said.

Mohammad Zahir also said that a new state assembly secretariat and a deputy was sworn-in at his office today in order to carry out the state assembly duties temporarily. 

The state assembly will be held for three days this week from August 25 to 27 and will be continued on the following week for one day on August 30. 

On August 12, Mohammad Zahir announced that Perak will be first state to implement the bubble concept for the state legislative assembly sitting in order to curb the spread of Covid-19.

He said the bubble concept involves four elements, namely accommodation, transportation, extension of the conference space and daily Covid-19 tests for those involved in the sitting.

"All those involved are required to stay at Hotel Impiana and use the transportation service provided throughout the sitting. They are prohibited from using their own transportation or e-hailing service,” he said. 

He added that they will also need to perform RT PCR Covid-19 tests a day before the session when they check into the hotel.

"Daily screening will also be provided and all are required to undergo tests using the Salixium Covid-19 Rapid AntigenTest Kit the morning of the conference day.

"Only those with negative results and fully updated in the MySejahtera application are allowed to board the vehicle provided to go to the conference venue,” he said.