KUALA LUMPUR - Several Members of Parliament (MPs) from various political parties have come together to set up a multi-party caucus to push for parliamentary reforms.
The 13-member Parliamentary Caucus for Multi-Party Democracy was launched in Parliament today with MPs representing nine political parties including an independent.
Pengerang MP Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said and Petaling Jaya MP who were the co-convenors in a joint statement said the establishment of the caucus was informed by Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Azhar Azizan Harun through an official letter dated July 18, 2022.
The duo were nominated as co-convenors at a meeting on July 19.
They said the caucus aimed at encouraging dialogue, engagement, and cross-party participation in Parliament on institutional reforms especially that of the Dewan Rakyat, with the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) serving as the secretariat.
Its objective, they said was also to facilitate public participation in the parliamentary process.
They said the caucus was essential to foster and drive a healthy and productive multi-party competition to enhance the democratic atmosphere in Malaysia.
"As a first step, members of the caucus have agreed to explore and pursue matters like the revision of Dewan Rakyat Standing Orders to improve parliamentary operations by introducing ‘non-governmental business time’ (for Government Backbenchers and Opposition MPs) and facilitating the adoption of Private Members' Bills and digitisation of parliamentary processes, the empowerment of the Parliamentary Select Committees, as well as holding discussions or hearings with stakeholders, namely experts, civil societies, the media and the public on the agenda of empowering Parliament and strengthening democracy.
"Additionally, we are concerned about the gender imbalance in the leadership of Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara and we see the importance of having Deputy Speakers or Deputy Presidents at both Houses that reflect diversity in terms of gender, region and partisanship," they said.
They said as members of the caucus, they hoped to see this platform benefit all quarters optimally in efforts to empower MPs and to make the Parliament truly professional and world-class.
Other members of the caucus were Kulim-Bandar Baharu MP from PKR Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, Hulu Langat MP Datuk Hasanuddin Mohd Yunus (Amanah), Kuala Langat MP Datuk Dr Xavier Jeyakumar (Independent), Seremban MP Anthony Loke (DAP), Alor Gajah MP Datuk Seri Mohd Redzuan Yusof (Bersatu), Kluang MP Wong Shu Qi (DAP), Tuaran MP Datuk Seri Madius Tangau (Upko), Penampang MP Datuk Ignatius Darell Leiking (Warisan), Julau MP Larry Sng Wei Shien (Parti Bangsa Malaysia) and Selangau MP Baru Bian (Parti Sarawak Bersatu).