A 11-member parliamentary select committee on unity and national service headed by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Dr Maximus Ongkili will soon be formed.

The Prime Minister's Department has given notice to Parliament to enable the department to table a motion in the House to empower the formation of the committee.

The motion requires a simple majority endorsement from members of the House. However it is uncertain when the department will table the motion.

The committee is tasked to study issues pertaining to national unity and its impact on the country's development policies. It is also responsible to make new recommendation or recommend any amendment to the current policies to achieve national unity.

Apart from that, the committee is also required to study relevant acts on national unity including the National Service Training Act 2003 and take into consideration public feedbacks.

The committee will furnish a report on its finding and table it to Parliament.

Ten others members who will sit on the committee are Hasan Malek (BN-Kuala Pilah), Ahmad Shabery Cheek (BN-Kemaman), Loh Seng Kok (BN-Kelana Jaya), Dr Tan Kee Kwong (BN-Segambut), Dr KS Nijhar (BN-Subang), Alexander Nanta Linggi (BN-Kapit), Tiong Thai King (BN-Lanang), Wilfred Tangau (BN-Tuaran), Fong Po Kuan (DAP-Batu Gajah) and Salahuddin Ayub (PAS-Kubang Kerian).

Brief the MPs

Another minister in the Prime Minister's Department who oversees parliamentary affairs Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz announced on May 19 the formation of the select committee following DAP's Fong motion calling for the National Service Act.

However Nazri previously termed the committee "national unity and integration committee".

Fong told reporters today that she hoped Deputy Premier Najib Abdul Razak who is the minister in charge of national service will hold a briefing on the controversy-ridden programme to parliamentarians soon.

The unity and national service select committee is the second of its kind. A select committee to study a proposed amendment to the Criminal Procedure Code was set up in May.