CARRYING out Parliamentary reforms, limiting the tenure of the prime minister and implementing anti-hopping laws are law minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar’s priorities given the limited time that he has.

Wan Junaidi said that these changes can, however, only be implemented with the support of all Members of Parliament.

“My role is to create the framework and I need the support of the constitution. This doesn’t guarantee that everything will change unless we ourselves change. All members of parliament can come within that framework and elevate it,” he said at the online forum entitled MOU – A Pathway to Transformation and Stability? organised by Asli forum held on Zoom.

“We cannot drive reforms if MPs have a winner-takes-all mentality,” he said, adding that the newly signed memorandum of understanding (MOU) between government and Pakatan Harapan (PH) will go a long way in aiding his efforts.

“The opposition is not your enemy. If they have a good idea, we should support it and vice versa. This is materialised in the newly signed MOU.”

On September 3, Wan Junaidi said the government will reintroduce the Parliamentary Services Act to give more independence to Parliament.

The Parliamentary Services Act 1963 was a law that allows Parliament to conduct its own administration, staffing and financing.

The act was repealed in 1992 after then Dewan Rakyat speaker Zahir Ismail unilaterally had it removed from the books.

Along with the 1963 act, he said the government will also replace the Houses of Parliament Privilege and Powers Act 1952 and revise the existing standing orders for Parliament.

With the signing of the MOU, the government also committed itself to tabling the anti-party hopping law, the implementation of Undi18 and automatic voter registration, and the imposition of a 10-year term limit on the prime minister’s tenure.

“I have discussed with the attorney-general’s chambers on the possibility of fast-tracking the bills that we need to pass, particularly on parliamentary reforms, the PM’s tenure, the anti-hopping laws and the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).

“With regards to MA63, we have to address some of the grouses… made by Sarawak and Sabah. I have discussed with the states and… I don’t think (with the MOU), PH will renege their agreement, as long as they are included in the consultation process,” he said.

When asked about decentralisation, especially relating to independence in revenue generation activities, Wan Junaidi said this is something that Sarawak is pushing for.

“Sarawak is asking for independence (in) revenue generation activities but the federal government (looks) into parallel responsibilities like defence, internal security, education and health, and they have to look for money to fund that.

“Therefore, not all the money from the state can be kept by the state. We have to come up with an appropriate mechanism but, if you take the natural resources of the state, you must give back… to the state fairly,” he said.

When implemented, MA63 will give Sabah and Sarawak greater autonomy in managing their own affairs.

Political scientist Wong Chin Huat, meanwhile, added that in order for MA63 to see the light of day, a radical change must take place.

“I think the first federation of Malaysia should be phased out and replaced by the second Malaysian federation. The federation we had from 1957 or, to be more accurate, since 1948, was not built to embody the spirit of MA63.

“What we need is to think out of the box. MA63 is not enough; we need MA63+,” he said.

Sabah and Sarawak did not get a good deal in the MA63 compared to what Singapore had, Wong said.

“(At the time) Singapore controlled education, labour law, and trade. Sabah and Sarawak were given more seats but they have less power at home. So, what’s the point of being king-maker in the federal Parliament when you can’t be king in your own land?” he asked.

On August 9, 1965, Singapore separated from Malaysia to become an independent and sovereign state.

Wong said decentralisation is also in the interest of the East Malaysian states as it would give them more leverage.

“We should bring all the state governments together to demand and negotiate decentralisation. At a time where you’re not going to have a simple majority government at the federal level, it pays for every party to secure your stronghold.

“So, when you get your chief minister or menteri besar, you have better control and you can compete.” – September 16, 2021.