KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 8 — The process for parliamentary reforms will continue to be implemented towards making the Malaysian Parliament a credible, with integrity and respected institution, said Dewan RakyatSpeaker Datuk Mohd Ariff Md Yusof.
He said the Malaysian Parliament was longer a “rubber stamp” institution like it used to be before.
“We do not want such a situation again. The Parliament has to be an institution that is credible and with integrity. It has the people’s respect.
“People should not think it as a rubber stamp and a place where people fight,” he told reporters after opening a seminar on parliamentary reforms at the Parliament Building today.
Her said the reforms carried out since four months ago, which included improving the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), setting up of six special select committees, as well as on efforts to reinstate the Parliament Services Act, had brought positive changes to Parliament in bringing it on par with other parliaments in the world.
Last Tuesday, Mohd Ariff announced the setting up of six new select committees, comprising the Special Select Committee for Consideration of Bills, Special Select Committee on Budget, Special Select Committee on Defence and Home Affairs, Special Select Committee on Rights and Gender Equality, Special Select Committee on States and Federal Relations and Special Select Committee on Major Public Appointments.
He said the committees were essential for democracy and to provide a check and balance on the executive body.
Prior to that, he had announced the setting up of the Caucus on Reform and Governance to strengthen the function of the parliamentary institution.
In another development, Mohd Ariff said the Malaysian Parliament was also working with Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) in an effort to improve the quality of debates by members of parliament, adding that a guidebook on it was by DBP was distributed to members of the house last week.
In tandem with current technology, the Malaysian Parliament has also launched a parliamentary application, MY Parl, which enables all quarters, including parliamentarians and the public, to access information through their smartphones on Parliament, including the meeting order, Hansard and programmes, he added. — Bernama
