Pm Question Time A Step Forward But Needs Substance

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The proposed Prime Minister's Question and Answer (PMQ) session in the Dewan Rakyat should have proper processes to ensure that the session will be substantive, said experts.
Researcher on parliamentary affairs Maha Balakrishnan said this convention, as practised in the British Parliament, allowed MPs to hear directly from the prime minister on national policies.
However, this session was often used by the British prime minister and MPs to score political points, leading to a discussion that lacked substance.
"It is, of course, unrealistic to expect a PM to know the details of every government policy and programme; so often the discussion during PMQ in the UK House of Commons is superficial.
"So, I would recommend that, unlike the UK, the questions to be posed to the Malaysian PM should be sent to the Dewan Rakyat at least one day in advance," said Maha.
With such a system, she said, the prime minister would be expected to provide substantive responses and not just political ones.
"The MP asking the question should also be able to ask the PM a related follow-up question, which is the current convention now with cabinet ministers.
"This will ensure that the PM cannot solely rely on scripted answers," she said.
Maha BalakrishnanAccording to Bernama yesterday, the Dewan Rakyat Speaker Johari Abdul said the PMQ session will undergo a pilot test phase when the Dewan Rakyat convenes next week.
Johari said the PMQ session will take place on Tuesdays while the Minister's Question Time (MQT) session will take place on Thursdays.
"This is one of the reforms that will be implemented, but it cannot be made as a regular session yet... we will start it as a pilot test first so that we can identify problems that may arise," he said.
In the UK, the PMQ session takes place every Wednesday when the House of Commons meets and will last for half an hour.
It is a very widely observed event because the British prime minister has to answer questions asked spontaneously by the MPs.
Wong Chin HuatPolitical scientist Wong Chin Huat said if the PMQ was to be moulded based on the British system, it could send a strong message to the entire political system and the public that the government and the prime minister were willing to be held accountable.
"This would allow Parliament and the public to hold the prime minister accountable. It would be a weekly highlight whenever Parliament is in session," he said.
However, for the PMQ to have its intended effect, the opposition leader would have to play a part.
"The public would expect more substance and wit than grandstanding and name-calling. It would give a boost to policy competition we badly lack and need," said Wong, who is attached to both the Jeffrey Sachs Center on Sustainable Development (JSC) and Jeffrey Cheah Institute on Southeast Asia (JCI).
Ahmad Fadhli ShaariPasir Mas MP Ahmad Fadhli Shaari said he supported the proposal because there had been allegations in the past that the prime minister refused to answer questions from MPs.
"With the PMQ, issues concerning government policies can be unravelled more efficiently.
"Answers by the PM would be taken as government policy and it will expedite action taken by government agencies," he said.
Meanwhile, Maha also recommended that the speaker consider allowing the public to pose questions during PMQ.
"The speaker should consider a novel approach. It should not be too difficult for the Dewan Rakyat to set up an online submission process for the public.
"Perhaps one question could be selected every week," she said. - Mkini

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