Govt to reintroduce Parliamentary Service Act soon, says Wan Junaidi

KUALA LUMPUR: Senate president Tan Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said the government is planning to reintroduce the Parliamentary Service Act and the Houses of Parliament (Privileges and Powers) Act soon.

In his presentation of a paper on the subject of ‘20 Years of the Latimer House Principles on the Separation of Powers: Is it Working?’ at the 66th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in Accra, Ghana, on Wednesday, Wan Junaidi said the two acts would be introduced at the upcoming parliamentary sitting this month.

“These acts will equip the Parliament as the legislature branch with the legal, procedural and administrative infrastructure to fully realise its functions and duties as one of these branches of separated powers in the enactment of the Federal Constitution.

“Whilst the Federal Constitution was drafted by members of the Reid Commission who were foreigners, their impartiality, legal training and experience in Commonwealth Parliamentary traditions and constitutions had provided the best draft for execution,” according to the statement issued by the Office of Senate President today.

The statement said, in his presentation, Wan Junaidi explained that the Chapters and Articles of the Federal Constitution are arranged in a unique and systematic manner to cater to the diverse needs of the nation itself as well as a clear separation of powers for the three branches of the government which are also intertwined and connected with one another.

“As much as the concept of separation of powers is demonstrated in the different sections of the articles, Wan Junaidi pointed out that the machinery is still not being put in place and fully activated and the novelty concept of Latimer Principles in Malaysia’s Federal Constitution needs more education and awareness,” the statement said.

Themed ‘The Commonwealth Charter 10 years on: Values and Principles for Parliaments to Uphold’, the conference this year also marks the 10th anniversary of the Commonwealth Charter which outlines the principles and values of the Commonwealth.

It is hosted by the Parliament of Ghana and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Ghana Branch in Accra, from Sept 30 to Oct 6.

Meanwhile, in a separate statement, the office said that the Senate president also held a bilateral meeting with the Australian Senate President Senator Hon. Sue Lines on Wednesday on the sidelines of the conference.

The meeting was also attended by other official Malaysian delegates including Minister of National Unity Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang, Senator Datuk Dr Mohd Hatta Md Ramli, Senator Isaiah D Jacob and Parit Sulong Member of Parliament Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad.

“Wan Junaidi also informed the meeting of the upcoming study tour in the third week of October 2023 by Senate deputy president Senator Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed to the Australian Parliament.

“He gave a comprehensive briefing for the purpose of the trip, which is to learn about the Australian Committee System, the Parliamentary process of keeping the Cabinet accountability, monitoring of Executive action and such other relevant parliamentary laws, rules of the House and ethics for conducts of the members of the Parliament in meetings,” the statement said.

This is the first meeting between the two House of Senates since the appointment of Wan Junaidi as the Malaysian Senate president on June 19, 2023, and the constructive discussions during this meeting will continue to strengthen the relationship between Malaysia and Australia. – BK