Parliamentary Services Bill set for Nov, 30 years after repeal

A revived Parliamentary Services Bill and an amendment to the Houses of Parliament (Privileges and Powers) Act 1952 are expected to be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat in November.

Senate president Rais Yatim said this in a press statement today, adding that the bill is being prepared by the Attorney General’s Chambers and the Legal Affairs Division of the Prime Minister’s Department.

“These bills are expected to be tabled in November. The bills include the Parliamentary Services Bill, an amendment to the Houses of Parliament (Privileges and Powers) Act 1952, and a code of conduct for MPs,” he said.

Formulated in 1963, the Parliamentary Services Act allowed Parliament to run its own affairs independent from the government.

This includes selecting its own staff and controlling its expenditure. The act was repealed in 1992, during Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s first stretch as prime minister.

Since then, parliamentary affairs were placed under the Prime Minister’s Department.

Meanwhile, Rais said in his statement that he chaired a meeting on parliamentary transformation at the main block of the Parliament building yesterday.

The meeting was attended by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar as well as Legal Affairs Division director-general Abd Shukor Mahmood.

“In the meeting, we were informed that the parliamentary transformation process is progressing smoothly,” Rais said.

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