Parliamentary Service Act granting greater autonomy to be revived, says Dewan Negara president Wan Junaidi
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 25 — The Parliamentary Service Act (PSA) is set to be revived this year after 30 years since it was repealed, said former de facto law minister Tan Sri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.
In an exclusive interview with The Star, the Dewan Negara president said that a draft of the Bill is now being prepared for Cabinet to approve.
“The proposal was initiated by me when I was a minister during the previous administration. However, at that time, there were still a lot of loose ends and policy matters which had yet to be decided,” Wan Junaidi was quoted telling The Star.
“A final decision was made on the policies related to the Bill during a one-and-a-half-hour meeting chaired by me on Wednesday night. It marks the first real step for the PSA to be revived after 30 years.”
The aim of the Act is to strengthen the independence of Parliament by giving it greater autonomy to manage its finances and administration.
Once the Cabinet gives its nod, the Bill is expected to be tabled in the October session of the Dewan Rakyat.
The PSA was first introduced in 1963, paving the way for Parliament to act as a body that was independent of the executive branch of government, where it managed its own affairs, including selecting its staff and controlling its expenditure.
However, the Act was repealed in 1992 when Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was prime minister and Parliamentary affairs have since fallen under the purview of the Prime Minister’s Department.
Since 2005, civil society groups have repeatedly called for the PSA to be revived.
Wan Junaidi said that a Parliamentary Service Commission will be set up so that the management of personnel in Parliament will no longer come under the Public Services Department (PSD).
“It will mean that Parliament can recruit its own officers. It will also get money directly from the Finance Ministry, and it will be free to determine how it is spent.
“An internal audit will be carried out to see how the money is spent, and it will also come under the scrutiny of the auditor-general,” he said.
He added that a council, chaired by the Dewan Negara President and Dewan Rakyat Speaker, and comprising representatives from the relevant ministries and opposition MPs and Senators, will also be set up to oversee the management of parliamentary affairs.
Wan Junaidi said the finer details of the Bill are still being ironed out for approval by the Senate President and Dewan Rakyat Speaker before it is presented to the Cabinet.
“My promise to the prime minister is that I will get the Bill tabled by this October.
“Once the law is passed and comes into force, a six-month transition will be given for its implementation,” he said.
