ID :
201863
Wed, 08/17/2011 - 12:23
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/201863
The shortlink copeid
NGOs CAN'T BE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENTARY SELECT COMMITTEE
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 17 (Bernama) -- The Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) on electoral reform which is likely to be established after Oct 3, will consist only of members of parliament (MPs) from the ruling Barisan Nasional, opposition as well as independents.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri Aziz said he would table a motion to establish the bipartisan PSC during the coming parliament sitting which would begin on Oct 3 and the committee would not include non-parliamentarians.
"Non-governmental organisations can participate as witnesses during the hearing but not as members of PSC. The procedure of setting up a PSC is very clear and that it must comprise members of parliament. That's why it's called parliamentary select committee," he told Bernama, here, on Wednesday.
He said the PSC on electoral reform would look into the election issues that had been brought up and find ways to improve the existing election law.
"The PSC will draft a report on the electoral issues, then it will hold discussions with the Election Commission (EC) to reach some conclusions. After that, the final draft will be sent to the Attorney-General's Chambers for review before being approved by the Cabinet, and finally tabled in Parliament to be made into law," he said.
Nazri explained that although the process might take some time, the
government hoped to implement it before the next general election as the current mandate would end in March 2013.
"If the general election falls in 2013, we are likely to use the improved law as recommended by the PSC. However, I don't know when the next general election will be called. Only the prime minister knows," he said.
Nazri said the Cabinet would discuss the formation of the committee On Wednesday, including the terms of reference and number of members that could be between eight and 15.
"The committee is likely to be headed by Lower House of Parliament Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia. The rest of the members will be BN, opposition and independent MPs," he added.
Nazri revealed that the Cabinet, at its weekly meeting last Wednesday, had discussed Pakatan Rakyat's demand for an emergency parliamentary sitting over the allegation of permanent residents being given citizenship and voting rights.
The opposition pact comprising PKR, DAP and PAS had sent a memorandum to the prime minister on Aug 8 to call for an emergency parliamentary sitting this month to debate on what they termed as "the issue of permanent residents who have been registered as voters".
"The decision to form a parliamentary select committee was the outcome of the meeting. Therefore, there is no need for an emergency parliamentary sitting as requested by the opposition parties since the government has decided to form a parliament select committee to look into the matter," he said.
The announcement by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak on Monday to form the committee has received the thumbs-up from the opposition and civil society, including the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih).
However, the opposition pact has demanded that the PSC be chaired by an opposition MP and for the government to give a guarantee that the general election would not be called until after the PSC completes its work and the proposed reforms implemented.
-- BERNAMA
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri Aziz said he would table a motion to establish the bipartisan PSC during the coming parliament sitting which would begin on Oct 3 and the committee would not include non-parliamentarians.
"Non-governmental organisations can participate as witnesses during the hearing but not as members of PSC. The procedure of setting up a PSC is very clear and that it must comprise members of parliament. That's why it's called parliamentary select committee," he told Bernama, here, on Wednesday.
He said the PSC on electoral reform would look into the election issues that had been brought up and find ways to improve the existing election law.
"The PSC will draft a report on the electoral issues, then it will hold discussions with the Election Commission (EC) to reach some conclusions. After that, the final draft will be sent to the Attorney-General's Chambers for review before being approved by the Cabinet, and finally tabled in Parliament to be made into law," he said.
Nazri explained that although the process might take some time, the
government hoped to implement it before the next general election as the current mandate would end in March 2013.
"If the general election falls in 2013, we are likely to use the improved law as recommended by the PSC. However, I don't know when the next general election will be called. Only the prime minister knows," he said.
Nazri said the Cabinet would discuss the formation of the committee On Wednesday, including the terms of reference and number of members that could be between eight and 15.
"The committee is likely to be headed by Lower House of Parliament Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia. The rest of the members will be BN, opposition and independent MPs," he added.
Nazri revealed that the Cabinet, at its weekly meeting last Wednesday, had discussed Pakatan Rakyat's demand for an emergency parliamentary sitting over the allegation of permanent residents being given citizenship and voting rights.
The opposition pact comprising PKR, DAP and PAS had sent a memorandum to the prime minister on Aug 8 to call for an emergency parliamentary sitting this month to debate on what they termed as "the issue of permanent residents who have been registered as voters".
"The decision to form a parliamentary select committee was the outcome of the meeting. Therefore, there is no need for an emergency parliamentary sitting as requested by the opposition parties since the government has decided to form a parliament select committee to look into the matter," he said.
The announcement by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak on Monday to form the committee has received the thumbs-up from the opposition and civil society, including the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih).
However, the opposition pact has demanded that the PSC be chaired by an opposition MP and for the government to give a guarantee that the general election would not be called until after the PSC completes its work and the proposed reforms implemented.
-- BERNAMA
