MACC, EC and Suhakam placed under Parliament from today

The Malaysian Insight The Malaysian Insight Updated 7 years ago · Published on 1 Jul 2018 9:05AM · 9 Comments

THREE controversial government agencies – the Election Commission (EC), Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) – will be placed directly under the authority of Parliament starting today, following a massive restructuring of several key agencies and departments under the Prime Minister’s Department (PMD).

The restructuring is part of the PMD rationalisation plan announced by Putrajaya following discussions between Chief Secretary Ali Hamsa and Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

The move also ticks off another one of Pakatan Harapan’s promises in its manifesto prior to the 14th general election.

The total shake-up of the PM’s office was approved by the chief secretary in a letter sighted by The Malaysian Insight. The letter was set to the PMD last week.

Under the new structure, the powers of the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) will be placed under the Public Prosecutors Office, which will also report directly to Parliament. The AGC will remain under the prime minister’s office.

The National Audit Department will also report directly to Parliament and no longer to the prime minister.

The Parliament of Malaysia will be an independent body which no longer sits under the PMD, according to the letter.

The restructuring, namely for the three commissions and the transfer of power of the attorney-general, will require amendments to the federal constitution and  several acts related to the agencies before the revamp can take place, said lawyers.

Apart from that, three service commissions involving public servants, teachers and educators, and judges – the Public Service Commission of Malaysia, Educational Service Commission and Judicial Appointments Commission – have also been placed under Parliament.

The restructuring effort will see all departments and agencies under the PMD either transferred to other ministries, merged or shut down, according to the letter.

Following the first post-election cabinet meeting on May 23, Putrajaya announced that the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD), National Professors’ Council, Special Affairs Department (Jasa) and Federal Village Development and Security Committee (JKKKP) would be abolished.

The previous Barisan Nasional administration was criticised for a bloated PMD, which took up a sizeable portion of the annual budget allocation.

In a written reply to Parliament in 2016, former minister Azalina Othman Said informed the Dewan Rakyat that the PMD had 92 units under its purview.

In its election manifesto, PH pledged to reduce government allocations to the PMD.

“In Pakatan Harapan’s first year of administration, we will reduce the PMD allocation from more than RM17 billion now, to less than half, which is RM8 billion,” said the manifesto.

Media reports have showed that budget allocation to the PMD rose from RM1.15 billion in 1986 to almost RM2.4 billion in 1996, and then more than doubled again to RM5.84 billion in 2006.

This allocation was raised again to RM8.9 billion in 2008, the final year under former prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. The following year, under his predecessor Najib Razak, the allocation surged to RM10 billion.

At the end of Najib’s tenure, PMD was spending RM20 billion a year, making up 6% to 7% of the entire budget allocation.

In Budget 2018, PMD was allocated RM17.4 billion, a rise of 9.3% compared with the year before. – July 1, 2018.

Sign up or sign in here to comment.

Comments

  • Wasn't it also reported that there was a need for a Parliamentary Ombudsman?..

    Posted 7 years ago by MELVILLE JAYATHISSA · Reply

  • There can only be one way Malaysia will go under PH - Up! Up! Up!

    Posted 7 years ago by Patrick Ho · Reply

  • I feel a tinge of pity for all these agencies ........ suddenly they find themselves staring to be "barbecued" by both sides of the political divide on their actions (like how the US Senate and Congress grilled their agencies). Those "half past six" and the incompetents who find their positions untenable will opt to resign or early retirement. No more "gaji buta". I sincerely hope the "grilling" will be shown live (like in USA). It will be quite a spectacle.

    Posted 7 years ago by Malaysian First · Reply

  • Under parliment so what really. Is not who hold the majority in the parliment have the power to instruct those agencies?

    Posted 7 years ago by Wire bug · Reply

    • In parliament at least the governments own backbenchers are allowed to vote against their own party's motion in interest of consnscience hence may object. More democratic

      Posted 7 years ago by Dawn Andrew · Reply

    • Lets hope it goes along this way but somehow in reality it is on contrary as party members will toe the line . It is survival instinct. Hopefully PH maturity of thought process will endow a greater democratic application.

      Posted 7 years ago by Lee Lee · Reply

  • Kudos, PH! Go all the way to prevent future abuse of power n kleptocracy

    Posted 7 years ago by Peace Maker · Reply

  • this move is towards a more transparent and better malaysia. i hope this will lead to seperation of power as it will better consolidate the imporvement in check and balance system

    Posted 7 years ago by Ron Weasley · Reply

  • Wow, well done PH, things are really looking brighter by the days.

    Posted 7 years ago by Vic dexa · Reply