The Multi-Party Democracy Caucus (Kaukus Demokrasi Pelbagai Parti) welcomes the amendment to the House of Representatives’ standing orders, which institutionalised the 10 ad-hoc parliamentary special select committees into permanent select committees aligned to ministerial portfolios, as well as the recent re-enactment of the Parliamentary Services Act.
Together, these reforms would strengthen the checks-and-balances role of the legislative branch over the executive. Formalising and empowering the committees in the House would help build a network of more knowledgeable, focused and independent-capacity backbenchers and opposition MPs – hence improving the governance process and enhancing the checks and balances of Parliament.
Given the emphasis on reforms at the federal level, the caucus is compelled to call for the same urgency among state governments to initiate similar legislative reforms at the state level.
The caucus is working closely with our secretariat, the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (Ideas) and the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih), to engage with state governments and entities to discuss specific institutional reforms that can be implemented in different states, especially on issues regarding the empowerment of the state legislative assemblies, political financing and constituency development funds.
In order to push for reform at the state level, the caucus urges the state assemblies to commit to the following:
- Reform and empower the state assembly committees to ensure more opportunities for assembly memberss to scrutinise state bills and policies, to monitor and evaluate state government councils, state agencies, government-linked companies and statutory bodies
- Recognise the role of the leader of the opposition and shadow cabinet
- And introduce more sitting days for the state assemblies.
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It is important for state assemblies to be proactive and initiate serious public discourse on actionable changes that can be made to improve democracy at the state level.
Recognising the critical nature of building coalitions and networks of stakeholders and supporters of institutional reforms, especially at the state level, the caucus extends an open hand to any state assembly members, state think tanks, state departments or other stakeholders to collaborate with the caucus in any form to push the work of strengthening democratic governance in different states.
The multi-partisan and cross-state nature of the caucus places us in a unique position as a platform to discuss, understand and advocate for critical democratic reforms in different states.
We look forward to working with all parties to achieve a more democratic Malaysia. – Multi-Party Democracy Caucus
AGENDA RAKYAT - Lima perkara utama
- Tegakkan maruah serta kualiti kehidupan rakyat
- Galakkan pembangunan saksama, lestari serta tangani krisis alam sekitar
- Raikan kerencaman dan keterangkuman
- Selamatkan demokrasi dan angkatkan keluhuran undang-undang
- Lawan rasuah dan kronisme
