Parliamentary Services Bill almost ready

KUALA LUMPUR, March 13 — Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said today said that the Parliamentary Services (Amendment) Bill is almost ready.

She added that it is currently going through a finalisation process, which is 90 per cent complete.

“I was on the backbenches, I was on the Opposition bench, and briefly on the bench itself. Indeed, we want Parliament to have its own power to determine its direction, facilities, and not only limited to the Speaker or Parliament staff, but also MPs from both sides.

“We want to see that happen during the time of the Madani government. That is why this government is ‘madani’ — we walk the talk.

“If possible — I have spoken to the Dewan Rakyat Speaker and the prime minister — we want the amendments be made concurrently with the Citizenship Act (Amendment) Bill because we want to be able to get 148 votes or more,” Azalina told Parliament during Question Time.

She however expressed confidence that the Parliamentary Services (Amendment) Bill will receive the support of all 222 MPs given that the proposed changes would benefit not only the rakyat, but also every MP in the House.

Azalina was responding to DAP’s Raub MP Chow Yu Hui who asked the government for an update on the Parliament Services (Amendment) Bill, its direction and a timeline.

“We know the issue is that this power once existed but was withdrawn in 1993. It was withdrawn because at the time, Parliament was seen as not being so vocal.

“We hope that this time around, this power is returned so that Parliament can find its voice again and whoever is in government must be responsible to the people through their parliamentary representatives be it those in step with the government or those who are not,” she said.

Azalina also responded to a question on MPs’ allocation whereby she said with Parliament being given full autonomy on parliamentary matters, this would give rise to the formation of a council.

“Issues such as allocation, discussions, direction and freedom require a discussion between the Upper and Lower House Speakers.

“This the freedom of the role played by the Upper and Lower House Speakers.

“The MPs in the House are tied to our parties and chief whip. With the existing Select Committees and House Committee, these are discussions that we need to have.

“With this amendment, at the very least, we can have open discussions on the proper and greater roles played by MPs when carrying out their duties,” she said.

She further explained that MPs have been elected to the Lower House by the people, and that the financial planning channelled through Bills involves the people’s money.

“We have to be responsible to the people. So the amendment is the beginning of this relationship, and this amendment will forge new relations between Parliament and the executive.

“This is the wish of the government led by the prime minister,” Azalina said.

In February, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul said the Parliamentary Services Bill would likely be tabled during this or the next sitting.

The Act was first introduced in 1963, allowing the Parliament to act as an independent body and manage its own affairs including hiring. It was however repealed in 1992.

In recent years, the call to revive the Act has grown stronger.

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