HEAVIER penalty for driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol and permission for online court proceedings are among two major bills passed at the second meeting of the third term of the 14th parliamentary sitting yesterday.

The heavier penalty for DUI is provided in the Road Transport (Amendment) Bill 2020), while the online court proceeding through three court-related bills namely the Courts of Judicature Act 1964, the Subordinate Courts Act 1948 and the Subordinate Courts Rules Act 1955.

The 25-day session also saw six other bills passed, including the Supplementary Supply Bill (2019) 2020) and the National Security Council (NSC) (Amendment) Bill 2020) which allows the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to declare an area as a security area.

Three bills pertaining to the Covid-19 pandemic – Temporary Measures to Reduce Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) Bill 2020; Temporary Measures for Government Financing (Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19)) Bill 2020; and the Insolvency (Amendment) Bill 2020) – were also passed.

The first parliamentary session under Perikatan Nasional, led by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, also passed two motions.

The block voting was for the Supply (Reallocation of Appropriated Expenditure) Bill 2020) and the motion to remove the previous Dewan Rakyat speaker Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof.

Two bills, which were supposed to be tabled for the second time, were withdrawn, including the constitutional amendment to limit the prime minister’s term and the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) Bill 2019. 

The Independent Police Conduct Commission (IPCC) Bill 2020), scheduled to be tabled for the second reading, is postponed to the next sitting.

Other bills scheduled for tabling at the next session are the Poisons (Amendment) Bill 2019) and the Cooperatives (Amendment) Bill 2020).

With the change of government, the Parliament session also saw former Election Commission (EC) chairman Azhar Azizan Harun elected to replace Ariff as the 10th Dewan Rakyat speaker.

The session ended with Ipoh Timur MP Wong Kah Woh elected as Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman, replacing Kota Tinggi MP Dr Noraini Ahmad.

The Dewan Rakyat is scheduled to sit again on November 2. – Bernama, August 28, 2020.