Azalina Tables Parliamentary Service Bill For First Reading

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PARLIAMENT | Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Azalina Othman Said today tabled two bills for the first reading in the Dewan Rakyat.
One is a new bill, the highly anticipated Parliamentary Service Bill 2025, while the other contains amendments to the Federal Constitution to empower the proposed law.
The law is a significant legislative move towards restoring the independence of Parliament.
It ensures the democratic separation of powers by ensuring that Parliament holds power over its own affairs rather than depending on the executive branch of government.
What is the Parliamentary Service Bill?
This bill provides for the establishment of the Parliamentary Service and Parliamentary Service Council, allowing Parliament to manage its own administration.
It would create a separate service for Parliament independent of the public service system.
The Parliament Service provides Parliament with extra staff, including clerks for both the upper and lower Houses. The staff will be appointed from the general public service and shall hold office until the age of compulsory retirement.
Meanwhile, the Parliamentary Service Council will be chaired by the Dewan Negara president with the Dewan Rakyat speaker as co-chair, followed by the deputy presidents and deputy speakers.
The council will include two Dewan Negara members and four Dewan Rakyat members as well as the clerks of both Houses and other government officials.
Sections 7, 8, and 9 establish the Parliamentary Service promotion, disciplinary, and appeal committees.
The first two committees will be responsible for hiring, promotions, disciplinary matters, and the training of parliamentary staff.
The appeal committee will hear appeals brought to it against decisions by the other two committees.
As per Section 11, a chief administrator will be appointed from members of the general public service to manage the day-to-day functions of Parliament, including the service’s financial matters.
All members of the Parliamentary Service Council and committees will be deemed as public servants, following the definition in the Penal Code, according to Section 17 of the bill.
Members of the council and service have an obligation to secrecy under Section 14. Violating this constitutes an offence that will be punished with a fine of up to RM100,000, imprisonment of up to two years, or both.
These members will also enjoy legal protections under Section 15.
What about the constitutional amendments?
The Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2025 seeks to amend certain articles to bring the Constitution in line with the proposed law.
Amendments to Article 56 ensure that the Dewan Negara president and deputy president will not be disqualified because of their posts in the Parliamentary Service Council.
The same goes for Article 57 for the Dewan Rakyat speaker and deputy speakers.
Article 65 is amended to allow the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to appoint clerks to the parliamentary houses.
Clauses will be inserted into Article 65 to ensure that the appointments and services of these clerks may be regulated through federal law.
It must be noted that the explanatory section of this bill includes a section with the heading “financial implications”.
It says: “This bill will involve the government in extra financial expenditure the amount of which cannot at present be ascertained.”
Why is the law important?
The Parliamentary Services Act was first enacted in 1963, just a few months before the formation of Malaysia.
It allowed Parliament to act as a truly independent body, running its own affairs, selecting its staff, and controlling its expenditure.
However, it was repealed in 1992 and placed as a key reform agenda under the present administration.
But earlier this month, civil society organisations raised concerns over the possibility of a “watered-down” version of the bill.
They urged the government to hold a final engagement session with all stakeholders before the bill goes to the Dewan Rakyat. - Mkini

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