Extend term for 9 parliamentary select committees, urge civil groups

 

Every ministry should be scrutinised by at least one parliamentary committee, said the civil societies.

PETALING JAYA: A network of seven civil societies has called on the Dewan Rakyat to extend the lifespan of nine parliamentary special select committees (PSSCs) beyond the expiration of its two-year term, which is set to end on Nov 10.

The Seed Community for a Professional Parliament said the extension should take place during the first week of Parliament in October to allow the PSSCs to plan their agendas.

“While their (PSSCs) mandate would automatically stop when an election is called, their work should not be obstructed by the election guessing game,” it said in a statement.

It added that every ministry should be scrutinised by at least one parliamentary committee and such committees should be permanent (“standing”) instead of temporary (“special”) as the current ones are.

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“Such ministry-based committees can enhance both transparency and accountability of the ministries as well as the quality of law and policy-making.”

The nine PSSCs facing a potential end to their mandate are those in charge of fundamental liberty and constitutional rights, finance and economy, security, agencies under the prime minister’s department, agriculture and domestic trade, infrastructural development, education, women and children affairs and social development as well as health, science and innovation.

The Seed Community for a Professional Parliament also said that if these nine PSSCs were unintentionally disbanded because a motion was not passed in time, the item in the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the government and Pakatan Harapan (PH) on expanding parliamentary committees would be “violated in spirit”.

“We urge the 10 MPs sitting on the MoU steering committee to ensure the motion is passed to extend these PSSCs’ tenure.”

It noted that nine other ministerial portfolios lack scrutiny which includes environment, human resources, natural resources and national unity.

“The government’s commitment to promoting sustainable development goals (SDG) by setting up an SDG centre is not credible when there is not even a PSSC on SDG, environmental protection or social inclusion beyond women and children’s affairs,” it said.

The worst, it said, was the PSSC on infrastructural development which covered the works, transportation, rural development and housing and local government ministries.

It said the Election Commission should also be made answerable to a PSSC on electoral matters.

The statement was signed by Bersih, the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS), Undi18, Bait Al-Amanah, the Institute for Political Reform and Democracy (REFORM), Wisdom Foundation and Engage Network. - FMT