The long-awaited parliament reform agenda mooted by speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia has finally been submitted to the House for debate on the last day of the sitting for this session.

This includes a 30-minute minister's question time every Tuesday and Thursday, setting up a special chamber to discuss motions and the 14-day notice period for motions shorten to 10 days.

The motion was tabled by senior minister Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz, who also sits in the Parliament Standing Order Committee, chaired by Pandikar.

The cabinet had earlier agreed on the these agendas, but needed time to study the nine select committees proposed by the speaker.

The nine were Committee on Transportation and Cities, Committee on Foreign Affairs, Committee on Education, Committee on Food and Health, Committee on Energy, Environment and Water, Committee on Rural Well-being, Committee on Economics, Committee on Women’s Affairs and Committee on Integrity.

According to a Standing Order Committee's report tabled in Parliament today, the cabinet has rejected the formation of a Committee on Bill Consideration (Jawatankuasa Menimbang Rang Undang-undang).

The report said Pandikar informed the Standing Order Committee that the proposal was turned down because of the possibility that it might cause a delay in the legislation process from the aspect of logistics before a bill is tabled in Parliament.

In the UK, the Public Bills Committee examines each bill line by line before it is tabled to the House for debate.

In Malaysia, there has often been complaints about bills being tabled in a swift manner and bulldozed without a thorough debate.

On May 19 last year, Pandikar said he would resign if he failed in his agenda to reform parliament.