NEW Malaysia needs to have proper separation of powers to ensure excesses of the past are not repeated, said Nurul Izzah Anwar.

“We need to upgrade Parliament to have standing committees to have better oversight of the executive,” said the Permatang Pauh MP at the Centre to Combat Corruption & Cronyism’s (C4) forum on conflict of interest today.

“I’m now working to strengthen the legislative process with standing committees. A more accountable executive and good laws will be ideal for Malaysia,” said the Public Accounts Committee member.

She said the new government must also strive to be better than the previous one in regards to conflict of interest issues.

“Hence my resignation from the appointments to Penang state GLCs, namely the Penang Development Corporation. I initially accepted this appointment because I was trying to serve Penang.

“However, as national debates developed, I asked if I was part of the problem or part of the solution.

“There was only one choice and that was to choose the right path,” said Nurul.

“To reaffirm this commitment – We must stop this practice of political appointments and hold ourselves to a higher standard.”

Nurul’s speech was read out by another PAC member, Subang MP Wong Chen.

According to Wong, Malaysia needs a bill similar to the United Kingdom’s House of Commons Commission Act.

“This bill will give Parliament its own powers to decide on the MPs’ salaries and pensions, allocations and power to appoint people beyond the scope of the Prime Minister.

“As it is now, the prime minister has complete control of the budget and offices in Parliament,” Wong Chen. – February 21, 2019.