IN his foreword to the First Malaysia Plan (1966-1970), then prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj wrote as follow:

“The year 1965 marks the final phase of the Malayan Second Five-Year Plan and the advent of a new comprehensive and integrated plan for the development of all the constituent states of Malaysia.

The progress made over the last five years in the Malaysian economy has been impressive and gratifying… The key to progress and prosperity lies not in satisfaction with what we have already achieved but in firm determination to make ever greater efforts in the future. The next five years will be crucial in the history of Malaysia.

The First Malaysian Plan represents a major step forward in meeting this challenge. Malaysians should regard the First Malaysia Plan as an opportunity for each and everyone to serve for prosperity and security by giving the national development and defence the absolute top priority that the country requires. The success of the First Malaysia Plan will demonstrate to the world and all Malaysians alike that in the face of national emergency and threats of external aggression, we are undeterred in our efforts to raise living standards by promoting sustained economic growth with an imaginative and constructive programme of development.

The achievement of the objectives of the plan will require determination, self-reliance and sacrifice for the sake of a better life and a secure economic, social and political future.”

The First Malaysia Plan was duly tabled on December 15, 1965 by deputy prime minister Abdul Razak before Parliament vide a motion to be debated and adopted by MPs. The motion read as follow:

“That this House, recognising the need to promote the integration of the peoples and States of Malaysia and to build a more united, secure and prosperous nation, approves the objectives, priorities and programmes of the First Malaysia Plan as set out in Command Paper No. 45 of 1965. In adopting the Plan, this House calls upon Malaysians from all walks of life who have the welfare of the country at heart, to strive to accomplish the challenging task of meeting the aspirations of all our people for a better life and a higher standard of living by fulfilling the objectives and goals of the plan.” 

Before concluding his hour-long speech following the motion, Razak made an impassioned call to each and every Malaysian “to dedicate himself to do all that is within his power and his means for the development of his country.”

“The stakes are high. If we fail, national unity will be jeopardised and our very existence as a nation will be imperilled. If we succeed, and succeed we must, we will have taken a major step forward towards the creation of a more united, secure and prosperous Malaysia,” Razak concluded to applause from the House.

Debate on the First Malaysia Plan ensued.

Five years and seven months later on July 12, 1971, when Parliament reconvened after the 1969 Emergency following the post-election race riots of May 1969, Razak stood before the House again – this time as Prime Minister – to table the Second Malaysia Plan (1971-1975) incorporating the New Economic Policy (NEP). The motion in his name read as follows:

“Bahawa Dewan ini menerima Dasar Ekonomi Baharu Negara yang bertujuan membasmikan kemiskinan dalam kalangan rakyat dengan tidak mengira asal keturunan mereka di samping menyusun semula masyarakat Malaysia untuk mengimbangkan kedudukan ekonomi antara rakyat berbilang kaum, memberikan persetujuan penuh kapada Rancangan Malaysia Kedua yang disusun untuk mencapai matlamat cita-cita negara dengan melaksanakan langkah dasar dan rancangan pembangunan saperti dinyatakan dalam Kertas Perintah No. 28 1971, serta menyeru seluruh rakyat menumpahkan khidmat bakti mereka dalam semangat Rukunegara untuk membangunkan masyarakat yang adil, saksama dan bangsa Malaysia yang maju, moden dan bersatu padu.” 

Debate on the Second Malaysia Plan accordingly ensued.

Subsequent five-year Malaysia Plans have similarly been tabled before Parliament by the prime minister for debate and adoption by MPs, like the 11th Malaysia Plan. The motion by Prime Minister Najib Razak on May 21, 2015 read as follows:

“Bahawa Dewan ini,

menyedari akan cabaran pertumbuhan ekonomi serta pencapaian sosioekonomi semasa pelaksanaan Rancangan Malaysia Kesepuluh;

merestui usaha kerajaan untuk meneruskan Dasar Transformasi Nasional atau DTN dalam merangka dan merencana Rancangan Malaysia Ke-11 seterusnya;

meluluskan pelaksanaannya bertunjangkan falsafah Dasar Transformasi Nasional dalam ikhtiar menjadi sebuah negara maju pada Tahun 2020, menurut Kertas Perintah 23 Tahun 2015; dan

Bahawa dalam meluluskan Rancangan Malaysia Ke-11, Dewan yang mulia ini menyeru agar semua pihak bersama-sama dan berusaha menjayakan matlamatnya.”

Seconded by Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, the motion was also duly debated for adoption by MPs.

From the above, one can see that a motion is basically a proposal before the House. It is moved by an MP – ordinarily a Minister – so that the House can express an opinion on a matter or matters. A motion therefore initiates a discussion – a debate, if it is not a matter to be decided without one – which gives rise to the question to be adopted by the House.

A motion is adopted if it receives the support of the majority of MPs present in the House at the time the question is put before it. Once adopted, a motion becomes either an order or a resolution of the House.

It is not difficult to see that a resolution of the House is a “whole of nation approach”, long before the concept was promoted as an inclusive approach so that everyone who is interested in the process of community or nation-building can directly participate.

Now, like his predecessors Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has made an impassioned call for all parties – the government, the people, non-governmental organisations and other parties – to work together and provide support for the success of the national recovery plan (NRP), which he calls as “a transition strategy out of the health crisis” that has hit the country since March last year.

According to Muhyiddin, to enable the country to come out of the Covid-19 crisis successfully the NRP will need the support of all parties as it is very much a “whole of nation approach” rather than a “whole of government” one. 

Curiously though – based on the Order Paper – the NRP will be a national plan tabled in Parliament by the prime minister without a motion and with MPs only allowed to ask for clarification and opinion. 

There will be no resolution of the House. – July 26, 2021.

* Hafiz Hassan reads The Malaysian Insight.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.