KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 3 — All MPs need to stop turning issues into political fodder for their personal or partisan benefit, His Majesty the King of Malaysia Sultan Ibrahim said in opening the First Meeting of the Fourth Session of the 15th Parliament here today.

He said they should be mindful of their conduct to serve as examples upholding national unity instead of acting as agents to sow public division.

"Parliament is not a place for heated arguments, insults, or spreading slander.

"It is a noble assembly for debating matters of public interest and the prosperity of the nation,” he said in his royal address.

"Therefore, stop politicising every issue and do not prioritise only your party or group,” he added.

Sultan Ibrahim said that several MPs have shown significant improvement and demonstrated greater decorum during last year’s parliamentary sessions.

"However, there are still a few members who struggle to let go of old habits. I do not need to list these bad behaviours, as I trust that every member is aware of how to conduct themselves properly.

"I also appreciate the role played by all leaders in maintaining political stability, as it has contributed to the country’s economic and social prosperity,” he said.

Both Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara held their meetings simultaneously today.

Based on the calendar on the Parliament’s official website, this Parliament sitting will last for 18 days with the main focus being the debate on the royal address by members of Parliament for seven days from tomorrow and then the winding-up by the relevant ministries from February 19 to 25.

Debates on the bills and other government matters will take place over the final six days of the meeting starting from February 26.

The Dewan Negara is scheduled to sit for 13 days, beginning March 3.

Among the key agenda items in this Dewan Rakyat sitting is the tabling for the second reading of several bills, including the Mufti (Federal Territories) Bill 2024, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (Amendment) Bill 2024, the Malaysian Media Council Bill 2024, and the Bernama (Amendment) Bill 2024.

Additionally, the White Paper on the Ageing Nation Agenda is also expected to be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat, focusing on medium- and long-term socio-economic development plans as Malaysia approaches ageing nation status by 2030 and aged nation status by 2044.