Dewan Rakyat passes motion to create 4 new select committees

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department for Legal Affairs Datuk Liew Vui Keong said he is “confident” that there will be no problems in getting the Senate to approve the proposed legislation on time as the upper house had limited powers (Pic: Bernama)

pic by BERNAMA

THE Dewan Rakyat yesterday passed a motion to form four new select committees and renamed one.

Tabled by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law) Datuk Liew Vui Keong (picture), the new select committees include Special Select Committee on Election; Human Rights and Constitutional Affairs; International Relations and Trade; Science, Innovation and Environment.

Liew said they function as a check and balance mechanism for the executive, which aims to faci-litate; improve government policies to be more efficient; and ultimately validate the actions and policies implemented by the administration.

“These special select committees have the power to invite anyone to be present before them to gather information, thoughts and opinions subject to the provisions set out in the rules of the House of Representatives,” he told Dewan Rakyat yesterday.

Any report or statement issued as a result of an investigation by a special select committee, he said, should be tabled in the lower house.

Additionally, in line with the establishment of the Special Select Committee on Human Rights and Constitutional Affairs, the previously established Special Select Committee on Gender Equality will be renamed to Special Select Committee on Gender Equality and Family Development.

Liew added that an All-Party Parliamentary Groups Malaysia (APPGM) will be formed as a platform to discuss topics of common interest among the MPs and senators in the House of Representatives, as well as external parties like academicians, professionals and non-governmental organisations. “The committee has agreed to the guidelines and regulations for the establishment of APPGM. Each group must register and obtain the approval of the Secretary General’s Office.

“Pioneering this group, the House Committee has approved the establishment of the APPGM on Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). The secretariat will be chaired by Associate Professor Datuk Dr Denison Jayasooria, who is also the co-chairman of The Malaysian CSO-SDG Alliance,” Liew said.