KUALA LUMPUR, May 20 ― Electoral watchdog group Bersih 2.0 today lauded Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia’s call for reforms to bolster the separation between the executive and legislature, but told him to take concrete action towards the goal.

Pointing out that this was not the first time Pandikar has made such a call with no outcome, the group urged Pandikar and Putrajaya to follow through with the Speaker’s suggestions.

“The first step must be for both the government and Pandikar Amin to meet with civil society and other key stakeholders, such as parliamentary researchers, to discuss the reforms and show a willingness to move towards a transparent and accountable Parliament,” the group said in a statement today.

Bersih 2.0’s steering committee also urged Pandikar to set a good example by ensuring parliamentary sessions did not exceed the allotted time as suggested by DAP whip Anthony Loke, and to allow for more public debates about the need for an independent Parliament.

Bersih 2.0 also said that the reforms suggested by Pandikar mirrored the proposals by the newly-formed Parliamentary Reform Proposal Group which, among others, sought to reintroduce the Parliamentary Services Act which manages the Parliament’s administration and finances thus further enhancing the separation of powers.

In a press conference yesterday, Pandikar also suggested that Putrajaya abolish the post of parliamentary affairs minister, saying this would help keep the powers of the legislative and the executive separate.

Pandikar added that this would not only show a distinct separation of powers between both arms of government, but would also reduce the negative perception that Parliament is merely a “rubber stamp”.

The call for reform was greeted positively by both Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat, in a rare show of bipartisan support.