Table law on parliamentary reforms now, PKR tells Putrajaya

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said (centre) should table a law which will lead to parliamentary reforms, says an opposition MP today. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, October 14, 2015.

PKR has urged Putrajaya to table a new law on parliamentary reforms at next week’s Parliament sitting.

Party strategist Sim Tze Tzin said both the ruling Barisan Nasional representatives as well as the opposition have agreed to and supported the need for a parliamentary reform agenda, adding that it was time for Putrajaya to fulfil its pledge on the matter.

“Since all parties are ready to support the implementation of parliamentary reforms, PKR urges the government and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said to table a law which will lead to parliamentary reforms,” he said in a statement today.

The Bayan Bayu MP said the issue of parliamentary reforms was not new, as it has been discussed since 2011 but, to date, nothing has come out of it.

Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia had proposed reforms earlier this year after it was revealed by former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad that the Dewan Rakyat speaker was planning to resign over unhappiness with Putrajaya. 

Admitting later that he had contemplated quitting, Pandikar said it was not because he did not see eye-to-eye with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, but because he was disappointed at being unable to carry out reforms in Parliament. 

Among the reforms was the removal of the minister in charge of Parliament so that it could be fully in charge of its own administration as well as improving Parliament’s infrastructure. 

The minister with this portfolio is usually a minister in the Prime Minister’s Department. Azalina is the current minister in charge of Parliament.  

Pandikar met with Najib and the prime minister reportedly agreed with his recommendations to improve parliamentary proceedings.

However, new arrangements for press personnel reporting on parliamentary proceedings this sitting have been criticised by MPs from both sides of the divide, with Batu MP Tian Chua describing the move as an attempt to stifle the freedom of the media and not being in line with the parliamentary reforms proposed by Pandikar.

The new media set-up will isolate the press in a separate building away from where legislative sittings are held, limiting the media’s access to lawmakers while also making it harder for MPs to hold briefings.

- TMI