What's in store for the first Parliament session after GE13?

Or, would Malaysians see a Dewan Rakyat with more mature, substantive debates that look beyond partisan lines but the needs of the rakyat?

Malaysians can begin to judge the politicians they have voted into these hallowed halls as all 222 elected representatives — 89 from Pakatan Rakyat and 133 Barisan Nasional — take their oaths as Members of Parliament today.

The first indication of whether BN and Pakatan have grown beyond the usual mud-slinging games would be the expected discussions on the worsening haze situation in the country.

As of yesterday, Air Pollution Index (API) readings in Muar and Ledang shot beyond 750. Emergency was declared in Johor and schools in several states were closed.

While Pakatan has said that they are ‘willing to work with the government to tackle this crisis’, some leaders have already taken potshots at the government over the issue.

The big question is whether anything constructive and useful will come out of the lower house of Parliament.

Despite more than one month after May 5, one of the main issues on the Opposition agenda would still be on the electoral system and the running of GE13.

Pakatan Rakyat is expected to follow up on their nationwide ‘Blackout505’ rallies which claims that electoral fraud tainted the results of GE13.

Political analyst Professor Datuk Mohammad Agus Yusoff of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia said that it was better for Barisan Nasional not to brush aside the issue.

“The transparency, management and running of the last election, the role of the Election Commission (EC), the redrawing of electoral boundaries, even the viability of the first past the post system as opposed to proportional representation: All these will be raised by the opposition,” he said.

While it was ‘sensationalist’ for the Pakatan-backed rallies to be based on the premise that the ‘opposition has won due to obtaining majority of the popularity votes’, said Mohammed Agus, who also said that BN should be ready to admit to weaknesses.

“For example, the issue on indelible ink should be addressed. Should there be a tribunal to kick out the commissioners in the EC? I would agree that they should go rather than continue to have people demonstrating as it affects the image of the government. ” he said.

However, another analyst Khoo Kay Peng noted that while the opening session of Parliament will be primarily driven by the agenda of Opposition pact’s leader Anwar Ibrahim, who argues that Pakatan has ‘won the election’; other component parties may not fully agree with him.

Woven into this debate would be Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s announcement that a special bi-partisan parliamentary committee will be set up that directly oversees the EC.

Another big question which would be answered by the first day of Parliament sitting would be the names of the Dewan Rakyat Speaker and Deputy Speakers.

Pakatan hopes that BN MPs will help them vote in their choice of Dewan Rakyat Speaker, non-politician and former judge Abdul Kadir Sulaiman. Without the required numbers, the role is widely expected to return to BN's former speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia.

For the deputy’s post: Beluran MP Ronald Kiandee is said to be BN’s nominee while the Opposition’s choice was Tumpat MP Kamaruddin Jaafar.

Mohammad Agus said that it would be interesting to see if the Government would entertain a demand by Pakatan Rakyat to make the voting process for the Speaker secret.

“You see, under the current rules, MPs who vote for the speaker will have to write their names on the ballot, this is called ‘mengundi bersurat’. What Pakatan is suggesting is to make the balloting secret, which I think is the better way,” he said.

On the same matter, political analyst Datuk Dr Denison Jayasooria said that it was “fair” for the Opposition to ask for at least the speaker or deputy to be Opposition nominated.

In this new parliamentary session, Opposition lawmakers are also expected to introduce a few of their own private members’ bills, even as Parliament secretary Datuk Roosme Hamzah has announced that three new bills related to Islamic affairs will be tabled next week.

Klang MP Charles Santiago is reportedly expected to table a bill seeking for removal of Section 9A of the Elections Act 1958.

The section stipulates that no changes can be made to the electoral roll after it has been gazetted, which is said to be ‘unconstitutional’ as it prevents any challenege to the electoral roll in court.

Another opposition MP, PKR vice-president of Lembah Pantai, Nurul Izzah Anwar is also expected to table a series of bills on “judicial independence, electoral reform, freedom of information and good governance.”

Another legislation being looked at is to introduce freedom of information law—which has been passed in Pakatan-held Selangor and Penang states-- at the Federal level.

DAP's Ipoh Barat MP M Kulasegaran is expected to table a bill concerning the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC). He had claimed that some BN MPs were also supportive of the bill.

The call for IPCMC to monitor the men-in-blue is closely linked to the recent cases of deaths in police custody and the revived demand for a more accountable police force.

While private bills by Opposition leaders seldom see the light of day in Parliament, it remains to be seen if this remains the case.

Following the manifestos of both the BN and Pakatan during the GE13 campaign period, the MPs in parliament are now expected to continue the discussion on macro economic issues as well as bread and butter issues such as the rising cost of living.

“Things like price of cars, petrol prices, PTPTN, basics such as cost of living. Pakatan will capture these points and BN will have to defend their policies,” said Mohamed Agus.

However, all analysts agreed that both BN and Pakatan should refrain from politicking when discussing important economic issues such as the Goods and Service Tax(GST), the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA), and subsidy rationalization.

“You have promised to care to the people. You have promised to uplift the standard of living, provide more job opportunities. This is the time you deliver,” said Agus, who urged for the TPPA to be discussed in public.

Khoo said: “The last parliamentary term was quite tiring, the politicking was endless. People want them to govern and perform and if the two can’t work together and find common ground on key issues, then both coalitions are going to be in trouble.”

“I hope the Pakatan MPs, the first timers, would understand that ‘fighting and fighting’ should not be their political motto and learn about cooperation, serving, and governing," said Khoo.

There has also been some suggestions on parliamentary reform, and it would be interesting to see if any of these will be debated.

One is to utilise more parliamentary select committees as well as permanent standing committees for MPs from both side of the divide to find solutions to matters ranging from foreign policies, to agriculture.

Another suggestion is to have a more autonomous parliament. Denison said that the current Minister who is in charge of Dewan Rakyat should be done away with and the Executive should be further away from Parliament.

He said that Parliament should also try to involve the public, including civil society and intellectuals more.

“We should also push for full live coverage, either on TV or online of the debates so that Parliament is more transparent,” he argued.

On a recent announcement by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim, who has been entrusted with handling Parliament affairs, that non MPs are barred from entering parliament to hold press conferences, Denison said that MPs should be allowed to bring in others for that purpose.

A call recently made by DAP chairman Karpal Singh was to have Dewan Negara where senators are being elected instead of being appointed. It would be interesting to see if this topic makes its way into Parliament this session.

First time MPs who are highly anticipated to breathe new life into debates are Pandan MP, PKR strategy director Rafizi Ramli, DAP’s Raub MP, popular blogger Mohd Ariff Sabri.

Other young Opposition leaders some are keeping an eye out for are DAP’s Serdang MP Ong Kian Ming, Zairil Khir Johari.

Other points of interest include the “record number” of Cabinet members from East Malaysia, including the new de facto law minister Nancy Shukry; as well as the performace of MCA reps, who have opted out of having any Cabinet positions this time around.

Today, all 222 MPs must be sworn in on this day itself or they will be "strangers of the House" and prohibited from attending the Dewan Rakyat sittings.

Following the appointment of Speakers, on Tuesday, the King - the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah - officially opens the Parliament meeting.

Both Wednesday and Thursday and July 1 to 4 had been set for debate on the Royal Address while July 8 to 10 had been scheduled for replies from the ministries. Meanwhile, the tabling of bills and government matters have been set for July 11 to 18.