THE new Parliament sitting, which begins tomorrow, will feature two major constitutional amendments that require the votes of a two-thirds majority, say sources.

Top of the list is amending the federal constitution to recognise Sabah and Sarawak as equal partners with Peninsular Malaysia.

This will necessitate amending Article 1(2) of the federal constitution, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Liew Vui Keong told Pakatan Harapan MPs in a pre-Parliament briefing in Putrajaya, yesterday.

He told the MPs from Bersatu, PKR, DAP, Amanah and Warisan that the amendment would require a two-thirds majority to pass, an MP told The Malaysian Insight.

Article 1(2) lists Sabah and Sarawak as states of Malaysia. Sabah and Sarawak political parties have always insisted that the two states should not be treated as mere states in Malaysia but as partners with Peninsula Malaysia with equal rights and autonomy over matters of education, language, security and religion.

“Currently, Pakatan has 135 MPs, short of 13 (for a two-thirds majority),” said the MP, who attended yesterday’s briefing entitled “Law Reform Agenda for Malaysia”.

“The government hopes that Gabungan Parti Sarawak, which has 19 MPs, will come in to assist.”

The government also aims to make a constitutional amendment to lower the voting age to 18.

This means amending Article 119(1a) which states that one must be 21 to vote.

Non-mandatory death sentence

Another MP said the government hopes to amend all laws with the mandatory death sentence in this sitting.

The MPs were told that the amendments would remove the word “mandatory” for capital punishment.

Offences under the Penal Code that carry the death penalty include terrorism, treason, murder, kidnapping, rape and gang robbery resulting in murder.

Laws that have the mandatory death sentence are the Dangerous Drugs Act, Firearms Act and Kidnapping Act. 

Reforms

Another major change coming to Parliament this year is reform of the 90-minute question-and-answer session at the beginning of each day.

“Ministers and deputies are require to answer the questions within three minutes, while supplementary questions must be fielded within 30 seconds. The government wants to make it more efficient and ensure each session has at least 15 questions,” said the MP.

An MP said he hoped the government could table the Parliament Services Act to reform Parliament.

“There have been a number of select committees that have been set up but only the Public Accounts Committee, Standing Orders Committee, House Committee, Privileges Committee and Select Committee are recognised under the law.

“By having a Parliament Services Act, the different committees will have more legal standing,” he added.

At the close of the last sitting, six new standing committees were set up, for Consideration Bills; Budget; Rights and Gender Equality; Public Appointments; Defence and Home Affairs; and  Federal-State Relations. 

Institutional Reform Committee member Prof Dr Shad Saleem Faruqi, who is a constitutional law expert, also briefed the MPs at the retreat.

Dr Mahathir Mohamad closed the briefing at 5.30pm yesterday. – March 10, 2019.