Inter-Research And Studies (IRAS)

In times of crisis, like today’s coronavirus widespread in our nation, the parliament as the highest institution in this country must ensure our people and the nation’s well-being are being prioritised by the government of the day. In this case, even if the coronavirus is yet to be under control and the movement control order (MCO) is being implemented, the period and time of the parliamentary sittings should not be reduced no matter what it takes in order to ensure the sitting government is properly checked and scrutinised in whatever it undertakes to ensure public interests are maintained, corruption, power abuse and mismanagement of funds can be prevented. It is the utmost responsibilities of the sitting government to ensure the smooth proceedings of the parliament by ensuring all member of parliament of their safety and security while the proceedings are ongoing while the crisis is being tackled. Today, based on our observation on the rebel government, they are obviously disappo...

The parliamentary caucus on reform and governance currently chaired by Port Dickson MP and PKR president Anwar Ibrahim was set up to lead the efforts to reform the parliamentary system and to address major issues on governance, looking into its weaknesses and generates initiatives to reform the administration. The parliamentary caucus is also reported to be planning to revive the Parliamentary Services Act which was abolished in 19992 by the then BN government who then transferred the parliamentary administration under the direct purview of the Prime Minister’s Department with a minister without portfolio appointed to handle all affairs related to the parliamentary staffing, budgeting and administration. To revive the Parliamentary Services Act, the caucus tasked to handle the effort must ensure that the future Act must be improvised and most not be part of the executive government’s instrument. The Act must ensure total independence of the parliamentary service, free from any inter...

Ever since after the 14th general elections held on 9 May 2019 last year, we saw the most effective opposition coalition Pakatan Harapan (PH) coming into power at the federal level together with few state governments as well which had effectively pushed Barisan Nasional (BN) from governing right to the opposition bench. The BN opposition previously under the leadership of the then Umno president had put in order a group of Umno and MCA members of parliament to form a shadow cabinet in order to provide the necessary check and balance on the current PH government. However, to our dismay, this so-called BN shadow cabinet has not been working on what they are supposed to. Instead these BN MPs particularly those from Umno had continue to raise issues and tensions on matters relating to race and religion. Worst of all these BN MPs had failed to show their maturity during the parliamentary sessions. Trading insults and gender remarks against fellow MPS has been their kind of character...

This article has earlier appeared in the Beritadaily.com on 27/1/2017 The scandal surrounding the state-owned 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) and the case of a RM2.6 billion deposit found in the personal account of Prime Minister Najib Razak have not only become local headlines but have also gained international attention. This is because this nation has become Umno’s Malaysia where everyone must say yes and bow respectfully to the Umno president. Our nation’s three major organs – the executives, parliament and the judiciary system – are all right under his thumb. This is why he managed to bulldoze through many oppressive laws for use against his critics and opponents in order to stay in power. In Malaysia, the position of the prime minister has become too powerful. Checks and balances on him are currently non-existent because the institutions themselves have made him so. As for our parliamentary system, no doubt there are some checks and balances on matters pertaining to govern...

This article has earlier appeared in Beritadaily.com on 21/7/2016 Are you all surprised or shocked when we say a hung parliament will be good for our nation today? Yes, we suppose so. Some politicians will also condemn such an idea as crazy because it would not benefit them, their political parties, or help in their quest for power. They would reason that such a situation would only bring chaos to our nation. Correctly said, because these politicians have been in power for decades and yet they are yet to show any maturity in matters of governing this nation. A hung parliament is a situation where no political party or coalition of political parties from both ruling and opposition blocs obtain any absolute majority in number of seats in the parliament after a general election. The ruling party or coalition may gain just a sufficient number of seats, or it may be called simple or narrow majority, while the opposition party or coalition may have increased its parliamentary ...

This article has earlier appeared in Beritadaily.com on 31/8/2016 It has been almost a year now since Dewan Rakyat Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia has spoken of his plans for parliamentary reforms. Pandikar also challenged the opposition members of parliament to resign from their constituencies if the parliamentary reforms do not take place under his stewardship. What and where are the parliamentary reforms that Pandikar has promised about a year ago. Until today, these reforms are yet to take place. Just exactly what did Pandikar mean by establishing a special chamber to discuss matters of public importance? Currently, we already have two chambers, the Dewan Negara and Dewan Rakyat. Then, why do we need another chamber for the parliament when the current two chambers are already sufficient to discuss matters of public importance. Reforms should be focused on the existing chambers in order to enhance their effectiveness, instead of creating another one to deal with some sort of “special...

This article has earlier appeared in the Beritadaily.com on 13/1/2016 Loyalty to the nation means persons or citizens who demonstrate their loyalty first and utmost to the nation, its foundation and the Federal Constitution. The nation means everything to the person or citizen as his or her place of birth, where growth and development of oneself has taken place, where one has been residing and working, as well as the place where one is depending on in every aspect. To demonstrate one’s loyalty to the nation means to ensure its foundation and Federal Constitution is preserved, and preventing the nation from destruction. Loyalty to the leaders refers to one’s loyalty towards a person with a leadership position or someone who possesses power or rule over the nation. In many circumstances, the leader or the person who is in power can be good and bad, can be caring to the people and the leader can also be selfish and self-interested without any regard for the people and the entire nation. ...

Many of us would be asking, what is the proportional voting system all about? And if we were to go into the online search engine to determine the actual definition on the subject question, you will find aplenty and few kinds of what we would see as proportional voting system. Yes, whatever definition that you would find in the online search engine on this proportional voting system is definitely accurate, the fact that, they are few kinds, but they all carry the same meanings and objectives. The fact that is, this subject is all about providing a more democratic space for our people by creating more representations in the parliament or state legislative assemblies. Asides, the voices of the minorities and smaller political parties would also be represented in these legislative bodies through achievement of certain percentage of votes or support from our people at large. There are two kinds of proportional voting systems herein. The first of the two kinds is the people or voter...

Our nation's Senate or better known as the Dewan Negara in our national language, currently serves as the parliament's some sort of upper house. The Dewan Negara was established as per Chapter 4, Article 45 of the Federal Constitution of which also states the establishment of the and composition of the House of Representative or better known as the Dewan Rakyat (lower house). Unlike the Dewan Rakyat, the members of the Dewan Negara carrying the title of Senator are not elected by the people. They are all appointed by the respective state governments and the King (Yang Di Pertuan Agong) and serve a term of three years, of which their tenure can either be renewed or terminated at the pleasure of the respective state governments or the King. For those appointed by the King are usually nominees selected by the sitting federal government in Putrajaya and the King merely endorses those federal appointees by bestowing them with an official appointments. Recently, the DAP Nation...

Many of us are not aware the need and importance of the separation of powers between the party and the government. To the general political understanding of today, the chairman, president or secretary-general of the ruling party shall be automatically be appointed as prime minister or the head of the government. So does the members of the party central committee or executives, they all will automatically gain ministerial positions in the government by virtue of their leadership positions in the party. Very simple and straight forward, isn't so? Well, not many of us would know if the mixture of powers between the party and the government were to continue. Somehow, the government machinery would eventually become the party's organ. It would not happen directly but rather in an indirect manner as the machinery of the government of the day would eventually answers to the ruling party's call. The question here is, does the party own the government and does government belo...