THE cabinet has agreed in principle to laws that will give Parliament greater independence and bar MPs with court trials from attending sittings, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said today.

According to the minister, the cabinet has agreed to reintroduce the Parliament Services Act, amend the House of Parliament (Privileges and Powers) Ordinance 1952, and introduce a code of ethics for MPs.

The Santubong MP said that he had already discussed the matter with Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara speakers Azhar Azizan Harun and Rais Yatim last August.

“It was agreed that the government will enact a law to realise the separation of powers between the legislature, executive and judiciary,” Wan Junaidi said in a statement today.

He said that the act will include the establishment of the parliament services commission that will have full autonomy to decide and manage Parliament. 

The act was enacted in 1963 but was repealed in 1993 during the Dr Mahathir Mohamad administration. 

“This would include a parliament services scheme, finance and its own annual budget, which will come from the consolidate Funds.”

Meanwhile, Wan Junaidi said that the government will also amend the ordinance to update the law.

He said that the ordinance has not been updated since it was enacted and amended in 1952 and 1953 respectively.

“The amendment will involve barring and suspending MPs that have already been charged in court, but this is being fine-tuned,” he said.

On the code of ethics for MPs, Wan Junaidi said that it was first mooted in 2011 but has not been implemented. 

“Following cabinet’s decision on Wednesday, the government has requested the speakers of both houses to hold select committee meetings and meetings with stakeholders.”

He said parliamentary reform is part of the Memorandum of Understanding with Pakatan Harapan that was signed on September 13, 2021. – June 3, 2022.