THE GOVERNMENT, through the Legal Affairs Division of the Prime Minister’s Department, will pursue a detailed study on introducing a bill for the Fixed Term Parliament Act (FTPA), covering an impact assessment and gathering views of the public.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said the findings of the comprehensive study will be used for policy consideration by the cabinet in relation to the move.
She said that the government will also hold an engagement session with all stakeholders which will be conducted in the near future.
“The Legal Affairs Division welcomes the proposal of Deputy Prime Minister I, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, for the drafting of a Fixed Term Parliament Act.
“There are many countries that practice fixed-term parliaments with an agreed timeline for elections in order to ensure political and economic stability and to prevent any coup attempt that harms the country’s parliamentary democratic system.
“A fixed-term parliament can also ensure that all reform agendas and policies can be implemented continuously without interruption,” she said in a statement today.
Azalina also refuted the notion that efforts to enact the FTPA smacks of desperation on the part of the current government to stay in power.
“On the contrary, it reflects the commitment of the unity government under the leadership of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in respecting the electoral mandate, the democratic process, and ensuring political stability, especially in the current uncertain geopolitical situation of today,” she said.
Earlier today, PAS secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan had criticised Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s proposal to introduce such a bill in parliament aimed at retaining a particular government until the end of its term.
He described the idea from Zahid, who is president of Umno, as desperate to the point of being absurd.
He said that parties challenging the existing government’s position have legal right to prove that they enjoy the support of the majority either in parliament or through other channels permitted by law.
He said that this is in line with the principles of democracy practised not only in Malaysia, but in other countries as well.
Reacting to Zahid’s call, Projek Sama, a group advocating institutional reforms, today urged the government to enact a “Fixed Term Parliament Act” (FTPA) in the upcoming parliamentary session in March to bring stability and accountability.
It said that with this law, the government would not be distracted by schemes like the Dubai Move.
It also explained that the FTPA would constrain the prime minister’s power in seeking royal consent for an early dissolution of parliament but leave completely untouched the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s power under Articles 40(2)(b) and 43(4) to withhold his consent.
“The king can still reject any request for early dissolution while the prime minister has to share the power to make such a request with fellow parliamentarians. This makes early elections harder,” it said in a statement today.
“With an FTPA, parliament must serve its full term of five years,” said Projek Sama. The exception to this would be if the prime minister has lost the confidence of parliament, or two-thirds or more MPs pass a resolution to call for an early dissolution. – The Vibes, January 14, 2024
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