Govt to look into fixed-term Parliament law - Azalina

 

A move to introduce a fixed-term parliament act (FTPA) is gaining traction.

De facto law minister Azalina Othman Said said the Legal Affairs Division will be carrying out in-depth studies to get public views on such legislation.

An engagement session with stakeholders will also be held soon, she said.

The findings will then be reviewed by the cabinet for policy-making considerations.

Azalina said this in a statement welcoming a proposal by Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi that hinted at an FTPA.

‘It’s not a desperate act’

Reform group Project - Stability and Accountability for Malaysia (Projek Sama) outlined that an FTPA would prevent Parliament from being dissolved early arbitrarily.

That is unless the prime minister suffers a “loss of confidence”.

However, the group stressed that an FTPA must outline that such moves can only be done through Parliament, instead of statutory declarations.

Meanwhile, Azalina in her statement today also dismissed criticism that an FPTA was a desperate gambit to remain in power.

“Efforts to legislate an FPTA by the unity government is not a desperate act. Rather, it reflects the government’s commitment under the prime minister’s leadership to respect electoral mandates, democratic processes, and ensure political stability.

“This is especially true in the uncertainty of the current geopolitical climate,” she said.

The government has been fending off continued speculation that the opposition is trying to stage a political coup. - Mkini