Reintroduce Parliamentary Services Act, Senate president says

 

Dewan Negara president Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar proposed reintroducing the Parliamentary Services Act as well as the introduction of a new bill or amendments to the present Houses of Parliament (Privileges and Powers) Act 1952 (revised 1988).

He said the Parliament Services Act will give Parliament the financial independence and formation of Commissions for Service, Discipline and Finance while determining its own expenditure.

“This also will give Parliament the right to hire and fire its own staff and freedom to decide on a related function,” he said when delivering his keynote address at the forum on ‘Political Stability in Hung Parliament’.

The forum was held in conjunction with the launch of “Malaysia’s 15th General Election” Special Issue of the Round Table: The Commonwealth Journal of International Affairs at Sunway University yesterday.

Wan Junaidi also suggested introducing a new bill or amend the Houses of Parliament (Privileges and Powers) Act 1952 to enable provisions to provide punishments for various breaches of privileges and ethics under the Standing Orders and Rules.

He noted that the bill must empower Parliament to call the government to table and debate papers in Parliament on the government’s intention to enter into bilateral or multilateral treaty, agreement or arrangement or withdraw with any foreign country.

Citing the recent signing of agreements related to maritime borders in the Straits of Malacca and Sulawesi Sea by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Indonesian President Joko Widodo, he said it will help MPs and the public from not being left in the dark about national matters.

Elaborating, he said the amendments could also call the government to debate its intention to withdraw a case, dispute or settlement of case or dispute with any foreign country such as the Pulau Batu Puteh case.

The former minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) also suggested amending the Standing Orders and Rules of Dewan Rakyat 1956 - and the Standing Orders and Rules of Dewan Negara 1960.

This is to create provisions and rules with respect to the sitting of Parliament during recess, summons or call by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong under Article 55 of the Federal Constitution.

Wan Junaidi pointed out that the amendments were to give provisions for the tabling of Private Member Bill and to introduce provisions and rules on how to move a motion of impeachment against the prime minister or minister in Dewan Rakyat like in the UK, where former British prime minister Tony Blair was almost impeached in 2004.

“We should have that in our rules on the vote of non-confidence or vote of confidence and if the private member to table includes the opposition leader,” he said.

Allow youth reps into Senate

Meanwhile, Wan Junaidi also suggested that the government raise the number of Senate members by amending Article 45(4) of the Federal Constitution to include four youth representatives from the institutions of higher learning by direct election.

While keeping 40 members by appointment by the Agong and two from each state elected, he said there should be six from the legal fraternity such as the Bar Council, the Advocates Association of Sarawak and the Law Society of Sabah.

Speakers at the forum included Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Azalina Othman Said, Transport Minister Anthony Loke and former foreign minister Saifuddin Abdullah.

- Bernama