That Parliament is sitting for only 61 days in a 365-day calendar year will reduce opportunities to scrutinise the government - what more with the 11th Malaysia plan starting June next year, an MP said today.

 

DAP's Kluang MP Liew Chin Tong pointed out today that the number of days for Parliament sittings were the low side since 2010 when the 10th Malaysia Plan was tabled. The Dewan Rakyat had sat for 83 days.

 

"This is not a good sign," Liew said.

 

The House sat for less than 60 days in both 2013 and 2014, a sharp drop compared to since BN was first denied a two-thirds majority in the lower house, in 2008.

In 2008, the Dewan Rakyat sat for 79 days; 72 days in 2009; 83 days in 2010; 63 days in 2011; 70 days in 2012; 51 days in 2013; and 57 days in 2014.

Liew also pointed out that in 2012, 18 days were accorded to debate the 2013 federal budget at committee stage, but this had been cut down to merely 10 days this year for the 2015 federal budget.

 

"It just means the government is getting even lesser scrutiny in an already constrained and restricted parliamentary system. This must change," he said.

 

Liew said that in comparison, the British House of Commons sat for 162 days in its last session and the Australian parliament sits for 150 days annually.

 

Both the countries practice the Westminster parliamentary system similar to Malaysia.

 

"Beyond the sittings in the main chamber, these parliaments have very robust committee debates and deliberations, which the Malaysian parliament has refused to adopt," he said.