Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin has urged the government to institutionalise the shadow cabinet system, now that BN has set up a similar portfolio committee system.

Khairy, who is one of two in the finance portfolio committee, said the post-GE14 environment is a good opportunity to implement lasting institutional reforms such as parliamentary reform.

“We have announced a shadow cabinet, so the ball is now in the government’s court to institutionalise the shadow cabinet. If you go to England’s Westminster System, it is institutionalised.

“There is a shadow leader and I would be called the shadow chancellor of the exchequer. They have resources at their disposal to help them and enable them to their jobs.

“We don’t need resources for the same of position, but you have to institutionalise these things,” he said.

He was speaking at the talk titled “The Way Forward for Malaysia” together with the economist Jomo Kwame Sundaram in Kuala Lumpur today. The event was organised by the Oxford and Cambridge Society of Malaysia.

Khairy told the audience of about 170 people that he is willing to give the government a free pass on being unable to deliver pledges it had “overpromised during the election”, such as abolishing highway tolls and allowing National Higher Education Fund borrowers to defer their repayments.

He said while there is no way the Harapan government could implement those promises in the short term, the institutional reforms that the coalition had pledged can and should be implemented.

“There are certain things that we need to work together in ensuring it happens: Institutional reforms that cover parliament, for instance,” he said.

Khairy also noted that thus far, there is still no discussion with opposition MPs on the setting up of various parliamentary select committees as Pakatan Harapan had promised.

In addition, the Election Commission chairperson Azhar Harun was appointed “the old way” rather than in accordance to Harapan’s manifesto promise to refer the matter to the parliament, he said.

“These institutional reforms must take place and we are quite happy to work together across the political aisle to ensure that we leave behind a legacy to ensure that whoever comes into power, these things are in place to ensure a stronger, healthier, and more mature democracy for a healthier future,” he said.

The portfolio committees announced by Umno secretary-general Annuar Musa earlier today comprise MPs from Umno, MCA, MIC, and Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah, and sees at least two MPs assigned to oversee each cabinet portfolio.

Under the arrangement, Khairy sits on the financial portfolio committee together with Pensiangan MP Arthur Joseph Kurup.

Khairy said the upcoming parliamentary session will be important because it would be the first budget session under the Harapan government.

“So, we need to be as sharp and focused as possible to play the role of check-and-balance to the present government, and that’s what we intend to do,” he said, adding that the portfolio committees give BN opposition legislative focus for the first time.