MOHAMAD Ariff Md Yusof wants more select committees and to reinstate the Parliamentary Services Act, which was repealed in 1992, as part of his reform plans for the Dewan Rakyat.

The newly minted Dewan Rakyat speaker and former Court of Appeal judge said the changes are part of what was outlined in the Pakatan Harapan manifesto. 

“I take my cue from the Pakatan Harapan manifesto. It has been fully discussed in groups. It is there under item 16. 

“Elements of parliamentary reforms are there. There will be select committees (to look at bills and issues) and we are bringing back the Parliamentary Services Act,” Ariff told The Malaysian Insight.

A select committee is a cross-party group of MPs given a specific remit to investigate and report back to the house. They generally gather evidence from ministers and officials, the public and organisations outside Parliament on certain subjects or laws ripe for reform.

He agreed with reforms brought by former speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia, who introduced the special chambers.

“It is a good innovation for Parliament. It is a good reform. They are dealing with specific issues in the special chamber. Very specific.”

There were reforms put in place by the previous Barisan Nasional administration but what is needed now is a seamless working environment, he said. 

“This is to be in parallel to reforms of culture and thinking and mindset. It is not as if we are starting from scratch, we have a mature system. It is just about tweaking it,” Ariff added.

Reviving the Parliamentary Service Act would also make the Dewan Rakyat more independent from the executive branch of government.

“That is the general idea, more leeway to Parliament to organise themselves administratively. 

“There will be things to trash out, find an efficient and workable system. We need to work out the details.”

However, he said Parliament at this time cannot be financially independent as it still dependent on the executive. 

The minister in charge of parliamentary affairs will also be maintained to be a mediator between the parliament and the executive, Ariff said.

“Parliament must be independent within certain context. No one is saying if we have a minister in charge of parliament we are controlled. People understand where they stand and we work together.”

The speaker added that he will visit parliaments around the world, including the United Kingdom and Australia, when the Dewan Rakyat breaks to get to know how their institutions functioned. 

“I will find time to go to the British parliament or maybe Australia. To look at how they put in operations. It’s one thing to talk about it and envision it but you got to look at practical side, how you do it.” – August 1, 2018.