Other key laws in the spotlight too

PETALING JAYA: While Budget 2024 will be hogging the spotlight in the Parliament meeting starting today, there are other equally important laws that are set to see fierce debate.

Besides the possibility of a Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA), the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Bill – popularly known as the Generational End Game Bill – and a proposed amendment to the Federal Constitution on citizenship are also expected to take centre stage this time around.

This will be the second time in less than nine months since February this year that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has to table a national Budget after coming to power in November last year.

However, unlike the previous Budget, which was a modified version initially tabled by the previous administration, Budget 2024 will be an entirely new fiscal plan conceived under Anwar’s Madani concept.

The Prime Minister had said that two key sectors – education and health – would continue to receive the bulk of the allocation under Budget 2024.

In Budget 2023, the Education Ministry received RM55.2bil while the Health Ministry was allocated RM36.3bil, including some RM3bil for the appointment of over 1,500 permanent and contract health workers.

But much has to be seen in how Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, intends to navigate the challenges of managing the government deficit while at the same time ensuring continued economic growth despite the burden of ballooning subsidies for the rakyat.

Last week, he revealed that the government would have to spend over RM81bil in subsidies this year to ease the rising costs of living, particularly for the lower-income group.

To this end, Anwar said there would be a need for a subsidy rationalisation plan to ensure that subsidies only benefit groups that truly need help and hinted that those in the higher-income group may have to pay more.

He had previously given the assurance of reducing the country’s fiscal deficit to 5% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product in 2023 and to 3.2% in 2025.

It is against this backdrop that, to further tighten and strengthen the government’s financial management, there is a likelihood for the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA) to be tabled in this Parliament meeting.

This proposed law will also highlight Anwar’s repeated call for better governance, accountability and transparency in managing public finances to prevent waste and leakages.

The FRA will emphasise the Finance Minister’s accountability to Parliament when carrying out his responsibilities to formulate the country’s fiscal policy while managing public funds.

Budget 2023 is also expected to see measures to assist the recovery of the middle class as well as the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) – who were among the most affected during the Covid-19 pandemic – in line with the Madani economy framework.

This meeting will also see if Parliament will finally go ahead with approving the Bill on the ban on the sale of tobacco products and vaping to those born after Jan 1, 2007.

Last week, Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa announced that the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Bill 2023 would finally be tabled for a second reading on Tuesday.

The Bill, which was tabled for first reading in the meeting in June this year, hit a snag and was subsequently referred to the Parliamentary Special Select Committee (PSSC) for further scrutiny.

It was the second attempt at tabling such a law in Parliament, with the first in June 2022 by former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin, which also saw much opposition during the first and second readings on July 27 and Aug 1 last year.

The Bill was then referred to the PSSC on Aug 2, with a report tabled in the Dewan Rakyat on Oct 5 last year, but it ran aground when Parliament was dissolved five days later.

Although welcomed by teachers, parents and health groups, it has met with pushback from affected industries, including sundry shop owners.

Another crucial piece of law that may see the light of day in the Dewan Rakyat is the amendment to the Federal Constitution to resolve the citizenship plight of children born to Malaysian mothers abroad.

In July, Anwar said the Constitution was tipped to be amended during this meeting.

However, several human rights groups have since raised concerns over the proposed amendment, claiming that it will result in discrimination by denying citizenship to children born out of wedlock, foundlings, or those abandoned, as well as adopted stateless kids.

The final hurdle to pave the way for the amendment to be tabled in Parliament lies with the Rulers, who will meet during the 262nd Conference of Rulers on Oct 23 and 24.

If tabled, Anwar will have to secure 148 votes, or two-thirds of the 222 MPs, for the amendment to be approved.

The unity government currently commands 147 votes following a decision last month by Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman to sit with the Opposition.

Also likely to spark heated debate is the ongoing issue involving Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s discharge, which did not amount to acquittal over his corruption charges.

Last month, the PSSC on human rights, elections and institutional reforms said it would be inviting sitting and immediate past attorney generals to explain the DNAA granted to Ahmad Zahid.

The chairman of the bipartisan committee, William Leong, had said PSSC would table its report to Parliament once it was concluded.However, the PSSC has yet to meet to decide on the date and term of reference for the hearing.

Last month, a heated shouting match ensued in the Dewan Rakyat during the tabling of the 12th Malaysia Plan’s mid-term review over the issue, resulting in the expulsion of Putrajaya MP Datuk Dr Radzi Jidin.

The Dewan Rakyat’s last meeting of the year will run for 32 days until Nov 30.