Pakatan wants parliament minister's powers curbed
Pakatan lawmakers say Shahidan Kassim's post as Minister in the Prime Minister's department in charge of parliamentary affairs can remain though the position powers should be limited.
Citing India's parliament as an example, PKR parliamentary whip Johari Abdul said the minister overseeing the House should only act as a coordinator.
Pakatan lawmakers say Shahidan Kassim's post as Minister in the Prime Minister's department in charge of parliamentary affairs can remain though the position powers should be limited.
Citing India's parliament as an example, PKR parliamentary whip Johari Abdul ( photo ) said the minister overseeing the House should only act as a coordinator.
"In India (the role of parliament minister) is not like that of Malaysia. The minister is only a coordinator so that the movements of the executive and the legislature are coordinated and smooth," he told reporters at a press conference at the Parliament lobby today.
Opposition leader Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail concurred.
"If you want to maintain the minister's post, then it should only be as a coordinator, not to (dominate) Parliament," she said.
Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia ( photo ) yesterday said the position of minister in the prime minister's department in charge of parliament, currently held by Shahidan, be abolished in order to maintain the legislature's independence.
Shahidan has yet to comment on the matter.
Two new committees set up
PAS parliamentary whip Mahfuz Omar ( photo ) said the presence of a minister overseeing Parliament severely limited the speaker's powers.
"When there is a minister [...] the speaker is not free and is influenced by the executive which severely restricts the speaker," he said.
"This is why the speaker is perceived to be a rubber stamp (for the executive)," he added.
Wan Azizah ( photo ) also announced that Pakatan has formed a parliamentary reform committee to oversee improvements to the nation's parliamentary system.
The committee will be chaired by Wan Azizah and comprises the PKR, PAS and DAP parliamentary whips plus one MP from each of the three Pakatan parties.
The opposition pact has also agreed to set up an 11th Malaysia Plan committee.
"It is hoped that with these two committees in Parliament, Pakatan MPs will be more effective and fulfil their responsibilities and duty to the people," she said.
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