Crime issue to heat up Dewan Rakyat sitting

The second session of the 13th parliament of Malaysia will start today with the debate set to focus on the crime issue, rise of petrol prices, transformation programmes and other issues affecting the public.

Prominence will be given to the amendments to the Prevention of Crime Act 1959 which is expected to be tabled during this session.

Previously Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi announced the amendment would be tabled during this session of parliamentary sitting.

The amendments are expected to give more power to the police after the repeal of the Emergency Ordinance and Restricted Residence Act 1933.

The crime issue will be a focus among members of parliament after several shooting cases including the recent murder of the Arab Malaysian Bank founder Hussain Ahmad Najadi, and other cases involving fire arms.

This issue is a concern of among members of the public and therefore, members of parliament is expected to focus on this issue as it involves the security of this country and its citizens. Among the issue that will be discussed is how fire arms can be easily obtained in this country.

As this parliamentary session will convene for only eight days, not many bills will be tabled.

The debate will also focus on increasing subsidies, to get the approval of the parliament to increase the government’s allocation.

Two acts involving the legal profession are expected to be amended (Legal Profession Act 1976 and Legal Profession (Amended) Act 2012).

Also, members of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) will also be announced during this session.

Fourteen will be selected to join PAC, with nine Barisan Nasional representatives and five from the opposition.

Pulai MP Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed has been selected to head PAC, replacing Datuk Seri Azmi Khalid.

A motion on the conflict in Egypt was submitted for the approval of the Dewan Rakyat speaker. This motion was brought forward by Pas state party chief Datuk Mahfuz Omar.

Mahfuz explained that there is a need for the Dewan Rakyat to discuss the conflict in Egypt as it involves an Islamic country and there are a lot of Malaysian students there.

Apart from that, he also explained Pas parliamentary members will also touch on the crime and economy during the debate and Q&A session.

During the Q&A session which is expected to begin at 10 this morning, there will be a question from Lenggong MP Datuk Shamsul Anuar Nasarah seeking the Prime Minister to explain the achievements of the transformation programmes implemented by the government.

Bentong MP Datuk Seri Lio Tiong Lai is expected to ask the Minister of International Trade and Industries on strategies to encourage the transformation of small medium enterprises to high-growth industries.

Pas President and Marang MP Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang is expected to raise the issue on actions taken by Department of Islamic Development Malaysia, or Jakim, on how to educate the community on the different sects of Islam like Salafiyah, Maturidiyah, Wahhabiyah and others towards maintaining harmony among the Muslims in this country.

This session is expected to end on October 3 before reconvening on October 21, four days before tabling of the 2014 Budget by the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on October 25.