SENATE president Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said the government would reintroduce the Parliamentary Service Act and the Houses of Parliament (Privileges and Powers) Act soon.

In his presentation titled “20 Years of the Latimer House Principles on the Separation of Powers: Is it Working?” at the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in Accra, Ghana, yesterday, Wan Junaidi said the two acts would be reintroduced at the parliamentary sitting this month.

“These acts will equip parliament, as the legislative branch, with the legal, procedural and administrative infrastructure to fully realise its functions and duties as one of the branches of separated powers in the enactment of the Federal Constitution.

“While the Federal Constitution was drafted by members of the Reid Commission, who were foreigners, their impartiality, legal training and experience in Commonwealth Parliamentary traditions and constitutions provided the best draft for execution,” said the statement issued by the Senate President’s Office today.

The statement said, in his presentation, Wan Junaidi explained the chapters and articles of the Federal Constitution were arranged in a unique systematic manner to cater to the diverse needs of the nation, as well as provide a clear separation of powers for the three branches of the government.

“As much as the concept of separation of powers is demonstrated in the different sections of the articles, Wan Junaidi pointed out the machinery is still not in place or fully activated, and the novelty concept of Latimer Principles in Malaysia’s Federal Constitution needs more education and awareness,” the statement said.

Themed “The Commonwealth Charter 10 years on: Values and Principles for Parliaments to Uphold”, the conference this year marked the 10th anniversary of the Commonwealth Charter, which outlines the principles and values of the Commonwealth.

It was hosted by Ghana’s parliament and the Ghana branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. It began on September 30 and ends tomorrow.

In a separate statement, the office said Wan Junaidi met with Australia’s Senate president Sue Lines yesterday on the sidelines of the conference.

The meeting was also attended by Malaysian officials including National Unity Minister Aaron Ago Dagang, senators Mohd Hatta Md Ramli and Isaiah D. Jacob, and Parit Sulong MP Noraini Ahmad.

This was the first meeting between the two countries’ Senates since Wan Junaidi assumed the presidency on June 19. – Bernama, October 5, 2023.