The Dewan Rakyat will set aside half an hour on Tuesdays and Thursdays for Ministers' Question Time (MQT) once Parliament reconvenes next month.

This is part of the first phase of parliamentary reforms touted by Dewan Rakyat Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia.

"In other countries, they have Prime Minister's Question Time specifically for the prime minister.

"But for us, we thought, 'why only the prime minister? How come the other ministers don't have to answer questions?'" Pandikar told a press conference at the Parliament building today.

The MPs will be required to submit their questions to the ministers a day before the MQT, to give time for them to prepare their answers, said Pandikar.

During the MQT, each question will be limited to 10 minutes, with a maximum of three questions per session.

The parliamentarians would be allowed up to two follow-up questions after their initial question, as long as they stay within the 10-minute limit.

Meanwhile, Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad said that while he appreciated the move to implement the MQT, he would have preferred a Prime Minister's Question Time.

This is because the opposition MPs rarely get to debate with Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak in Parliament, he said.

"At this moment, we do not have the pleasure of such an experience," he said in the Dewan Rakyat after Pandikar gave a briefing on the reforms.

Later on in the press conference, Pandikar said Najib could still attend and answer questions during MQT as he is a minister.

He also clarified the difference between MQT and the oral parliamentary replies.

Oral parliamentary replies require at least 10 days notice of the questions, said Pandikar.

Those are for more complex questions which would need more research and preparation by the ministers, he added.

Meanwhile, the MQT would be for more current and urgent issues, which is why the notice period for the questions is only one day, he said.

On the selection process for the three questions of the day, Pandikar said that the speaker will choose which ones will be answered.

"We also understand what questions need to be answered (more urgently).

"Let the discretion be on our side," he said.

The MQT will take place from 10am to 10.30am, twice a week, when Parliament is in session.

The oral parliamentary replies will be pushed back and will now take place from 10.30am to 12pm.