Impact of AKM Tour series among focus of Dewan Rakyat Thursday

KUALA LUMPUR: The positive impact of the Malaysian Family Aspirations (AKM) Tour series in terms of the social and economic benefits and the costs incurred are expected to be among the highlights of the Dewan Rakyat sitting today.

According to the Order Paper on the Parliament's website, the matter will be raised by Cha Kee Chin (PH-Rasah) to the Prime Minister during the oral question and answer session.

Also scheduled to be raised is a question from Datuk Ramli Mohd Nor (BN-Cameron Highlands) to the Works Ministry senior minister on the ministry's planning and preparation to monitor high-risk slopes in the Cameron Highlands parliamentary area during the Northeast Monsoon transition season.

Datuk Seri Azizah Mohd Dun (Bersatu-Beaufort) is also slated to pose a question to the Minister of Communications and Multimedia regarding the latest status on the installation of satellite broadband in Sabah as internet access is still poor especially in rural areas.

Azizah will also ask the Prime Minister to state the action that government has taken on the issue concerning the claims made by Sulu group during the Ministers' Question Time.

Lim Guan Eng (PH-Bagan) is also scheduled to pose a question to the Works senior minister on the sinkhole incident in the middle of the road in Butterworth, Penang and the time taken and cost to repair it, in addition to previous similar incidents in several major towns in the country.

The sitting today is also expected to see the tabling of the Dangerous Drugs (Amendment) Bill 2022, Kidnapping (Amendment) Bill 2022, Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2022, Firearms (Amendment) Bill 2022, Penal Code (Amendment) Bill (No. 2) 2022, Criminal Procedure Code (Amendment) Bill (No.3) 2022 and the Firearms (Heavier Penalties) (Amendment) Bill 2022 for first reading.

In addition, the focus will also be on the debate on the Control of Tobacco Product and Smoking Bill 2022 for its second reading.

The Health Minister who is also the Control of Tobacco Product and Smoking Bill 2022 parliamentary select committee chairman is expected to table a report containing the proposed improvements to the bill.

The Dewan Rakyat had on Aug 2 approved the proposal for the bill be referred to the Parliamentary Special Select Committee comprising 13 MPs from the government and the opposition bloc to make recommendations towards fine-tuning the bill.

Among other things, the bill will prohibit the sale and use of any form of smoking material including electronic cigarettes or vaping to individuals born on Jan 1, 2007 onwards.

The Dewan Rakyat sitting will last for 32 days until Nov 29.

-- BERNAMA