Live streaming of parliamentary special select committee next year

Dewan Rakyat Speaker Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof has announced that the parliamentary special select committees and special chamber proceedings will be streamed live next year.

This is part of parliamentary reforms to ensure accountability of MPs to the media and public, Ariff announced at a media engagement dinner in Parliament yesterday.

"Looking ahead, you will see the Parliament App containing new functions like live streaming. This is what we want to do, probably by March, to open the proceedings of special select committees," Mohamad Ariff said.

"Right now, the select committee proceedings are confidential, unless a report is tabled in Parliament. That is not a very good system so we have already redrafted the rules and by March it should be enforced." 

Mohamad Ariff also revealed that the amendments to the Standing Orders on the proceedings of the special chambers were ongoing and should be enforced in March as well.

"We are also changing other rules, for example, Section 17 of the Standing Orders, which is about special chamber proceedings. For the moment, we don't live stream unless there is a debate in the special chamber. In this case, we upload the video on YouTube," he said.

"(So) the rules are being amended and again it will come into force in March and there will be a supplementary question allowed in the special chamber."

Speaking to media and diplomat representatives, Subang PKR MP Wong Chen urged for more ministerial parliamentary special select committees, which could hold the ministries directly accountable.

“If we have more committees which are more ministerial in nature, as what we call 'standing committee', it will make the ministry directly accountable by a committee," he said.

"Also, the ministerial committee is a training ground for future ministers. It enables the Opposition to sit there and become a shadow minister."

Wong, who is now chairperson of the special select committee on international relations and trade, said the new ministers were struggling since Pakatan Harapan won the general election last year.

If BN had the foresight to create ministerial committees 20 years ago, then the transition of government would have been less painful and disruptive, he added.

Mohamad Ariff concurred that this should be the future direction of parliamentary reforms.

"We have to convert all these parliamentary select committees soon into proper standing committees so that we can work on the basis of a ministry," he added.

Currently, there are 10 special select committees. The subject matters and the chairpersons for the 10 committees are;

1. Consideration of bills: Bukit Gelugor MP Ramkarpal Singh (DAP).
2. Budget: Jeli MP Mustapa Mohamed (Bersatu) 
3. Defence and home affairs: Setiawangsa MP Mansor Othman (PKR)
4. Gender equality and family development: Merbok MP Nor Azirna (PKR) 
5. State and federal relations: Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Abdul Karim (PKR)
6. Major public appointments: Selayang MP William Leong (PKR)
7. Election: Ledang MP Tuan Syed Ibrahim (PKR)
8. Human rights and constitutional affairs: Klang MP Charles Anthony Santiago (DAP)
9. International relations and trade: Subang MP Wong Chen (PKR)
10. Science, innovation and environment: Petra Jaya MP Fadillah Yusof (Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu)

Only two special select committees were formed during the Najib administration and they were dissolved once their investigations were completed.  - Mkini