Bill amended to reduce sultan's power
The Johor government tabled the controversial Housing and Real Property Board Bill in the state assembly in Nusajaya today, with amendments to 10 provisions to cut back on the powers given to the state ruler in the original bill.
The Johor government tabled the controversial Housing and Real Property Board Bill in the state assembly in Nusajaya today, with amendments to 10 provisions to cut back on the powers given to the state ruler in the original bill.
The amendments were tabled at 2.30pm by state executive councillor Abdul Latiff Bandi ( left ), during the tabling of the second reading of the bill.
This came despite calls from the opposition bench to postpone the bill and to form a select committee to plug loopholes in it, which it claimed would lead to corruption.
The bill was tabled on schedule after Menteri Besar Mohamed Khaled Nordin yesterday announced that it would be amended to remove clauses that extend the sultan's powers.
According to the motion tabled by Latiff, the appointment of the four board members by the Johor sultan will be done on the advice of the Johor menteri besar.
The remuneration or allowances of the board members would no longer be decided by the ruler but by the state government.
Sultan cannot dissolve the Housing Board
The amended bill also states that the appointment of the director of the board shall be made with the prior approval of the sultan and on the advice of the menteri besar (Khaled, left ).
The amended version also removes the sultan’s power to check the budget, audit reports and annual report, with these duties in the hands of the state government.
Another amendment removes the power of the sultan to dissolve the board and it states that this task is solely the power of the state government.
Latiff is responsible for housing and local government in the state and his motion this afternoon was seconded by another exco member, Md Jais Sarday, before the debate started.
His motion was tabled verbally and the Johor Pakatan Rakyat assemblypersons slammed the state government for not being given the amended version of the bill earlier today.
Malaysiakini in an exclusive report last Wednesday revealed that the Johor Housing and Real Property Board Bill 2014 will empower the Johor sultan to appoint the board members, oversee its accounts and even dissolve the board.
The board, which aims to promote and undertake the development of housing and real estate property in Johor, could result in a conflict of interest if the sultan becomes a key player in the state.
Yesterday, with the issue having attracted heated debate nationwide, Khaled softened his position and announced that the bill would be amended so as not to extend so much power to the sultan.
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