THE first day of the Second Meeting of the Fourth Session of the 15th Parliament in the Dewan Rakyat opened with a focus on Malaysia’s foreign policy direction after chairing ASEAN in 2025, digital transformation, and the rising cost of performing the hajj.
According to the Order Paper published on the Parliament’s official portal, Datuk Mohd Shahar Abdullah (BN–Paya Besar) directed a question to the Foreign Minister regarding the country’s strategy in the Indo-Pacific following its ASEAN leadership.
He asked how Malaysia’s future foreign policy could help the country navigate "the increasingly complex and dynamic Indo-Pacific geopolitical landscape".
Digitalisation was also a key point of interest. Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee (PN–Beluran) sought clarification from the Prime Minister on the implementation progress of the MYDigital initiative, particularly the registration of MyDigital ID, integration of government systems with digital platforms, and the initiative’s overall impact on public service delivery.
In a related question, V. Sivakumar (PH–Batu Gajah) posed a query to the Digital Minister about Malaysia’s readiness to face the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution. He requested updates on “technology transfer strategies, local talent development, and the level of AI integration in governance and key economic sectors”.
Pilgrimage matters were also raised, with Datuk Dr Ahmad Marzuk Shaary (PN–Pengkalan Chepa) questioning the Prime Minister over the rationale behind the increase in the 2025 hajj cost. He also asked for the status of Tabung Haji’s investments and the number of unused hajj quotas for Malaysia from 2020 to 2025.
Following the oral question session, Members of Parliament are expected to proceed with the second reading of several bills, including the Consumer Credit Act 2025 and the Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing (Amendment) Bill 2025.
Lawmakers will also debate the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) 2023 Annual Report and Financial Statements (Statute Paper 80 of 2025). Two further documents—the Auditor General’s Report 2/2025 and Suhakam’s 2023 Annual Report—will also be tabled.
The session is scheduled to run for 24 days, with a major highlight expected to be the tabling of the 13th Malaysia Plan on 31 July. - July 20, 2025
