By Adrian Lim
KUCHING, Sept 9: Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii urges Parliament Speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun to increase the number of committee members both in the current Parliamentary Special Select Committee (PSSC) for Health, Science and Innovation and also other PSSCs in order to properly reflect the balance and proportion of each political party within Parliament.
In view of the need for new members in PSSC for Health, Science and Innovation following the appointment of Sipitang MP Yamani Hafez Musa as Deputy Finance Minister II which was part of PSSC for Health, Science and Innovation, Dr Yii said this is the best opportunity to correct the proportion of the members in the committee and also other committees to fully reflect the requirements under the specific Standing Orders.
He added the correction will also provide more MPs to participate effectively in national lawmaking and policymaking processes.
“Currently, our committee is represented by one from Democratic Action Party (DAP), two from United Malays National Organisation (Umno), one each from Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (Pas), Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) and an independent.
“This is not reflective of to proportion in the House which is at Perikatan Nasional (PN) – 50 seats (23.4 per cent), Barisan Nasional – 42 seats (19.6 per cent), GPS – 18 seats (8.4 per cent), Parti Bersatu Sabah – 1 seat (0.5 per cent), Pakatan Harapan – 89 seats (41.6 per cent), Parti Warisan Sabah – eight seats (3.7 per cent), Parti Pejuang Tanah Air (Pejuang) – four seats (1.9 per cent) and Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) – two seats (0.9 per cent).
“That’s why I believe the distribution of all the 63 seats in all the nine PSSCs at this moment should be reflective of such a ratio.
“I strongly believe with adherence to the requirements of the Standing Order will not only allow more MPs to be included into the process of policymaking and law-making, but also strengthen bi-partisan parliamentary oversight through such committees on the executive which is important for a vibrant parliamentary democracy,” he said in a statement today.
Dr Yii noted that currently, there are 154 government backbenchers and opposition lawmakers who can sit on the committees.
With nine PSSCs, he added only 61 MPs get to sit on them and the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and five other MPs were able to sit only on one or more of the four other standing committees.
With that, Dr Yii said that left 88 Parliamentarians with no executive, house or committee responsibilities and that should be improved to fully utilise the role of Parliamentarian to search for better solutions in laws and policies that will eventually benefit the people.
He hoped that Azhar will adopt such needed reform and put such important consideration to the PSC to adjust and increase the number of MPs in each committee to reflect the balance and proportion of each party within Parliament. — DayakDaily
