KUALA LUMPUR: The Parliament should be free from the grip of any quarters, Senate president Tan Sri Dr Rais Yatim said.
He said it is also high time for Parliament to decide its own financial rules and expenditures.
“This is also full jurisdiction of Parliament,” he said at the swearing-in ceremony of six senators at Dewan Negara here on Thursday (Sept 9).
Rais also said Parliament should no longer be labelled as a tool to be used by any quarters to legitimise their actions.
As such, he said the Senate and the Dewan Rakyat had agreed to improve the administrative structure and legal framework with respect to the Parliament so that the concept of separation of powers really exist, thus ensuring Parliament’s credibility can be enhanced.
Rais said the focus of the Parliamentary reforms agenda is on the Houses of Parliament (Privileges and Powers) Act 1952 or Act 347, and the Parliamentary Services Act 1963 which was repealed in 1992.
He said the Standing Orders would also be improved such as in terms of sitting proceedings and discipline of members, and special select committees should be strengthened with more implementing powers.
If all the reforms were implemented, he said a lot of tricks and tactics can be called off by the power of Parliament.
Earlier, six newly-appointed senators took their oath of office before Rais, namely Dr Wan Martina Wan Yusoff, Datuk Ajis Sitin, Datuk Juhanis Abd Aziz, Aziz Ariffin, Seruandi Saad and Fadhlina Sidek.
The three-year senatorship of Dr Wan Martina, who is elected by Kelantan State Assembly (DUN) began on Aug 24, while Ajis and Juhanis, elected by Pahang DUN, began on Aug 25.
Aziz and Seruandi, elected by Perlis DUN, began their three-year term on Aug 26, while Fadhlina, who is elected by Penang DUN, on Sept 1. – Bernama
