Parliament will continue to receive allocations from Treasury

 

Parliament will continue to receive budget allocations from the Treasury even if the proposed Parliamentary Services Bill is revived, according to de facto Law Minister Takiyuddin Hassan.

"From the aspect of financial allocations, even with the setting up of the Parliamentary Services Commission, the financial allocations, including emoluments and operation, will still come from the Treasury and the Finance Ministry as Parliament does not have financial resources of its own," he said in a written parliamentary reply.

The opposition has been pushing for the revival of the Parliamentary Services Bill, which was repealed in 1992, to make Parliament administratively and financially independent of the Executive.

The bill was part of Pakatan Harapan's manifesto for the 2018 general election to reform the legislative branch. Harapan initially wanted to table the bill in March 2020 but it did not materialise due to the change of government.

The bill, if revived, will allow Parliament to have its own budget and hire staff.

"The draft of the Parliamentary Services Commission Bill is ready. However, the government is refining and scrutinising again the setting up of the commission," said Takiyuddin.

"Based on talks with officers of Parliament or stakeholders, it is found that they prefer that the parliamentary service be open because they thought they have would better career opportunities with better chances of promotions," Takiyuddin told PKR senator Mohd Yusmadi Yusoff.

Yusmandi had asked about the status of the Parliamentary Services Bill and when will it be tabled for debate.

- Bernama