THE Ismail Sabri Yaakob administration has promised to deliver three major reforms by the middle of next year, before the next or fifth session of Parliament.

These are the anti-party hopping law, the implementation of Undi 18 and automatic voter registration, and to amend the Federal Constitution to limit the term of the prime minister to 10 years.

According to the memorandum of understanding (MOU) on transformation and political stability which Ismail Sabri signed with Pakatan Harapan (PH) today, these must be implemented by the first meeting of the fifth Parliament session.

Parliament began its fourth session today, which will be completed in blocks of three meetings before the middle of next year.

The MOU will be released in Parliament tomorrow and on its website, a source from the government said.

The three major laws are among a list of reforms agreed to by the government and PH.

Broadly, the others involve parliamentary reforms, judicial independence, the Malaysia Agreement 1963 and institutional transformation.

Also in the MOU is strengthening the country’s response to Covid-19.

In exchange for the reforms, PH has undertaken not to obstruct the government on critical voters in Parliament.

The Malaysian Insight has sighted the MOU, and among its salient points are:

- A 10-member steering committee that will oversee the implementation of the agreement

- The government will not dissolve parliament before July 31, 2022.

- The MOU will be made public.

- PH can only support or abstain during the Budget 2022 vote on condition that it is consulted during the drafting stage.

- The MOU will not impede PH’s role to check and balance the government

- In return, the government will set up more parliamentary select committees, provide support staff and adequate funding for the committees and amend the standing orders to allow Parliament to meet more easily.

- The government will also provide equal constituency funding to MPs involved in the agreement.

- The government will enact the Parliamentary Services Act by the second meeting of the fifth Parliament session next year.

Under the MOU, the government will also expedite the purchase of six million vaccine doses by this month and work to obtain interest exemption for the bottom 50% who have taken loan repayment moratorium from October to December. – September 13, 2021.