Dewan Rakyat to resume, all eyes on 2017 Budget

'Budget 2017' is looming over us, so naturally, all eyes, or rather, all of our senses would be focused on what Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has in store for the country next year.

The third meeting of the fourth session of the 13th Parliament will kick off on Monday (Oct 17) and end on Nov 24.

The Supply (Budget) Bill 2017 will be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat by Prime Minister at 4pm on Oct 21, prior to the debate session which is scheduled to stretch to the sixth week.

Meanwhile, a number of bills would be presented for First Reading including the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank Bill 2016; Town and Country Planning (Amendment) Bill 2016; Court (Modes of Commencement of Civil Actions) Bill 2016 and Administration of Islamic Law (Federal Territories)(Amendment) Bill 2016.

It is learned that the Private Bill, Court Bill (Criminal Jurisdiction) (Amendment) 2016 (Act 355) was also listed on the Order Paper this time.

The bill was tabled by PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang in the Dewan Rakyat on May 26.

Dewan Rakyat secretary Datuk Roosme Hamzah said the sitting on Monday would begin with the swearing-in of two members of Parliament, namely Budiman Mohd Zohdi and Datin Mastura Mohd Yazid who won the by-election in Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar on June 18.

Both of them had attended a special briefing session on June 27.

Roosme said Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin would also propose a motion to acknowledge and congratulate the entire Olympic and Paralympic national contingents in Rio 2016 for their achievements.

"The athletes are scheduled to attend the sitting on Monday," she told Bernama.

Roosme said there would also be a special 'Question Time' session where fresh and serious questions are answered by the relevant ministers.

The 30-minute session will be held every Tuesday and Thursday before the start of the oral question and answer session.

It will begin at 10am, with members of parliament given one minute to ask a question which the minister will answer within three minutes.

It is part of the first phase of parliament's transformation plan besides the special chamber implemented during the last sitting. -- BERNAMA