KUALA LUMPUR: The Dewan Rakyat today passed the Windfall Profit Levy (Amendment) Bill 2020, a motion to appoint Member of the Select Committee and two motions tabled by the Ministry of Finance (MOF) involving government funding.

The motions passed unanimously were the appointment of Bagan Member of Parliament (MP) Lim Guan Eng as a Member of the Select Committee for the 14th Parliament, transfer of Malaysian Government Investment Issues (MGII) to the Development Fund and the transfer of MGII to COVID-19 Fund under the Government Funding Act 1983 (Act 275).

The Windfall Profit Levy (Amendment) Bill 2020 was tabled by Deputy Finance Minister II Mohd Shahar Abdullah while the two motions on government funding were tabled by Deputy Finance Minister II Yamani Hafez Musa.

Mohd Shahar when tabling the bill said it was to amend existing provisions under the Windfall Profit Levy Act 1998 (Act 592) and include new provisions.

"It seeks to improve the administration of the windfall profit levy through the provision of remission and refund of levies and penalties that can benefit those who pay the levy," he said.

Ten MPs debated the bill which had four clauses.

Meanwhile, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun before adjourning the session, said various measures were taken to curb the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak during the sitting, including holding regular RTK-AG saliva test screenings and improving air quality in Parliament.

He said there was no COVID-19 infections or clusters in Parliament, adding that nine cases that were reported were linked to the community.

Azhar also expressed his gratitude to the MPs, the Ministry of Health, government officials, Parliament staff, Dewan Rakyat management and media representatives.

"I would also like to thank Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said who agreed to temporarily chair the meeting several times throughout the sitting. I really appreciate her willingness," he said.

Azhar had invited Azalina to chair the sitting temporarily in accordance with Standing Order 7(3).

-- BERNAMA