THE steering committee that will oversee the implementation of the government and Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) memorandum of understanding (MOU) had its first meeting today, said Fahmi Fadzil.

The PKR information chief said a large number of the 18 articles of the MOU were discussed and are in the process of implementation.

“The next meeting is expected to take place in two weeks,” he posted on Twitter today.

The MOU on transformation and political stability was signed by Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob and PKR president Anwar Ibrahim, Amanah chairman Mohamad Sabu, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng and Upko president Wilfred Madius Tangau on September 13.

The MOU has six thrusts: strengthening the country’s Covid-19 plan, institutional transformation, parliamentary reforms, judiciary independence, the Malaysia Agreement 1963, and the formation of the steering committee.

Under the agreed deal, the government has promised to deliver three major reforms by the middle of next year, before the next or fifth session of Parliament.

They are 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.

Various parliamentary reforms are also in the agreement, like the parliamentary services bills, which seek to restore Parliament’s autonomy in its finances and administration.

Other parliamentary reforms include ensuring a balanced representation of government and opposition lawmakers in select committees, and ensuring an equal number of select committees are chaired by government and opposition MPs respectively.

The opposition leader will also be given a ministerial status, and select committee chairmen will be provided with support staff and allowances to carry out their duties more efficiently.

Opposition MPs who are party to the MOU will get the same allocation as government MPs for their constituencies. – September 27, 2021.