Constitutional amendments: Minister confident report can be completed within a month

KUALA LUMPUR: Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Parliament and Law) Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar is optimistic that the parliamentary special select committee set up to make recommendations on amendments to the Federal Constitution regarding the prohibition of members of the Dewan Rakyat from changing parties can prepare a statement containing the proposal for the relevant bill within a month.

Wan Junaidi, who is also the select committee chairman said this was because the committee members are legal experts, however, he refused to disclose any discussions held by the committee.

"This is because it is not allowed by the Standing Orders of the Dewan Rakyat itself unless the report has been tabled in Dewan Rakyat then only it becomes a public document.

"Only then I as the chairman can reveal (the matter or the committee's discussions)," he told reporters when met at a gathering of agencies under the Parliament and Law cluster here today.

Also present were Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Parliament and Law) Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin, Attorney-General Tan Sri Idrus Harun and Solicitor-General Datuk Ahmad Terrirudin Mohd Salleh.

He said the first meeting of the committee comprising 11 government and opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) was held on April 15 and more meetings would be held starting tomorrow.

On the suggestion made by former Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof that the committee should be chaired by an opposition MP in an effort to be neutral, Wan Junaidi said he had received instructions from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri to chair the committee.

He said the decision was made during the discussions between the Prime Minister and Pakatan Harapan leaders and representatives of government MPs in the Dewan Rakyat on April 11.

Asked whether a special Parliament sitting would be held in June, Wan Junaidi said the power to convene a special Parliament session rests with the Prime Minister.

Meanwhile, Wan Junaidi said he targeted a bill on the proposed amendments to the Houses of Parliament (Privileges and Powers) Act 1952 (Act 347) and the Parliamentary Services scheme and the Parliamentary Services Commission regarding the proposal to create its own service for the Malaysian Parliament will be debated at the sitting this July.

"In line with the memorandum of understanding on political transformation and stability, the Parliament transformation has become my major agenda," he said, adding that he had tabled developments on the proposed amendments to the Cabinet.

-- BERNAMA