Devolving powers to Parliament shows govt's commitment to accountability: PM

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said today that the Madani government has proven its commitment to the principles of transparency and accountability by devolving more powers to Parliament.

He said this included the tabling of the Public Finance and Fiscal Responsibility Bill 2023, which requires the finance minister to present growth projections as well as a plan to reduce the national debt level for Parliament’s approval.

“Which government is willing to hand over its powers to Parliament, among them the Public Finance and Fiscal Responsibility Bill 2023?

“This means if the finance minister announces a policy, Parliament approves it, but it cannot be implemented, then the finance minister will retable it to ensure that the government’s policy is implemented in a fully responsible manner,” he said.

He said this when launching the Negeri Sembilan edition of the Program Madani Rakyat 2025 at Dataran Nilai. Also present were Menteri Besar Aminuddin Harun, Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo, Defence Minister Khaled Nordin and Chief Secretary to the Government Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar.

The programme, themed “Digital Across Generations, Empowering Communities”, was spearheaded by the Digital Ministry in collaboration with the Prime Minister’s Office through the Performance Acceleration Coordination Unit, with the Negeri Sembilan government as host.

Better governance

The government introduced the Public Finance and Fiscal Responsibility Act 2023 to provide for responsibility, accountability, governance and transparency in managing public finances and fiscal risks.

It came into force on Jan 1, 2024, after being passed by the Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara in 2023.

In addition, the prime minister also highlighted the tabling of the Government Procurement Bill, being debated in the Dewan Rakyat, as proof of the government’s commitment to transparency.

“The previous government did not dare to do this. All government procurement - federal, state, or local authorities - must follow clear procedures, follow tender processes except in matters of security.

“For example, if we want to purchase radar for security, there must be confidentiality, and that we exempt,” he said.

Anwar said only a strong and courageous government would be willing to hand over powers to Parliament, thereby proving its accountability.

- Bernama

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