Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak will head a new parliamentary select committee comprising top leaders of political parties to look into the ethics and integrity of parliamentarians.

The committee - which does not cover members of the Upper House - was proposed following the 'close one eye' scandal which made headlines earlier this year.

A motion to form the new committee was presented to the Dewan Rakyat today and is expected to be officially tabled next week after the current debates on the Budget 2007 end.

The 12-member bi-partisan committee is tasked to study four main issues, they are:

  1. Study and discuss issues of ethics and integrity among MPs.

  • Study provisions of the Federal Constitution, Houses of Parliament (Privileges and Powers) Act 1952 and other relevant laws.

  • Study the dos and don'ts for MPs in order to uphold their ethics and integrity.

  • To recommend a set of rules to be made as guidelines for MPs.

    • The committee is given a two-year period to study these issues and furnish a report.

    No overlapping

    Najib - who is also the Barisan Nasional (BN) whip - will be assisted by deputy whip Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz, the minister in the Prime Minister's Department overseeing parliamentary affairs.

    Other BN MPs on the committee include Chan Kong Choy (Selayang), Peter Chin Fah Kui (Miri), S Veerasingam (Tapah), Joseph Pairin Kitingan (Keningau), Shahrir Abdul Samad (Johor Bahru), Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar (Santubong), Ahmad Zainuddin Omar (Larut) and Lau Yeng Peng (Puchong).

    The two opposition representatives are Parliamentary Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timor) and Kamaruddin Jaafar (PAS-Tumpat).

    Nazri told reporters later that the idea for the new committee was mooted following the 'close one eye' scandal involving Mohd Said Yusof (BN-Jasin). The issue had prompted Shahrir to resign as the Backbenchers Club chief.

    "They (the laws and regulations governing MPs) will now be codified," said the minister.

    Shahrir had then supported an opposition motion to refer the scandal to the Parliamentary Privileges Committee but failed to get the support of backbenchers.

    The MP later said he was merely upholding the principle that Parliament should protect its integrity.

    To a question, Nazri said the tasks of the ethics committee and the existing privileges committee do not overlap as the former is tasked to review existing regulations while the latter serves as a disciplinary body.

    He said the new select committee will also look into expanding and increasing the scope of an MP's duties and responsibilities.