KUALA LUMPUR, July 22 — A Dewan Negara Select Committee will be set up soon in an effort to strengthen the parliamentary institution, said chairman of the Senate Reform Working Committee (JKRDN), Senator Mohd Yusmadi Mohd Yusoff.
He said the committee would be set up based on the provisions in accordance with the Standing Order of the senate meeting where it could propose the setting up of a select committee.
“The motion to set up the select committee is a personal idea of the Dewan Negara president himself. He will form a ‘select committee’ as soon as possible under the framework of his jurisdiction as Dewan Negara president,” he told a a media conference at the Parliament lobby today.
Mohd Yusmadi said the motion for the setting up of the select committee was also among the nine issues contained in the Dewan Negara Reform Report which was revealed today.
“The third issue in the 37-page report recommends the Dewan Negara Select Committee to better address issues facing the country. The report also emphasises the role of the senate members as set out in paragraph 64 of the Reid Commission Report 1957.
“We do not envisage the senate as a body of secondary importance. Our recommendations are made with the intention of enabling the senate to become an influential forum of debate and discussion, and a body which will contribute valuable revision to legislation and which will be able to impose a measure of delay in exceptional cases,” he said.
He said in order to strengthen independence of the Parliament and improve the role of the Senate, the reform report also recommended a number of proposals, including to bring back the Parliamentary Service Act 1963 with appropriate amendments made as practiced by the Canadian, Australian and Indian House of Senate.
.He said the report also recommended the setting up of a Parliamentary Institute to train parliamentary members and promote parliamentary democracy. — Bernama
