Clear the way for more debate in Parliament, law expert urges govt

Free Malaysia Today

Shad Saleem Faruqi also says the government should not keep its bills secret until the last minute.   Read More:  https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2025/03/13/clear-the-way-for-more-debate-in-parliament-law-expert-urges-govt/   Laporan Lanjut:  https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/bahasa/tempatan/2025/03/13/buka-ruang-kepada-lebih-banyak-perbahasan-di-parlimen-pakar-gesa-kerajaan/   Free Malaysia Today is an independent, bi-lingual news portal with a focus on Malaysian current affairs.    Subscribe to our channel - http://bit.ly/2Qo08ry   ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  Check us out at https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com  Follow FMT on Facebook: https://bit.ly/49JJoo5  Follow FMT on Dailymotion: https://bit.ly/2WGITHM  Follow FMT on X: https://bit.ly/48zARSW  Follow FMT on Instagram: https://bit.ly/48Cq76h  Follow FMT on TikTok : https://bit.ly/3uKuQFp  Follow FMT Berita on TikTok: https://bit.ly/48vpnQG  Follow FMT Telegram - https://bit.ly/42VyzMX  Follow FMT LinkedIn - https://bit.ly/42YytEb  Follow FMT Lifestyle on Instagram: https://bit.ly/42WrsUj  Follow FMT on WhatsApp: https://bit.ly/49GMbxW  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  Download FMT News App:  Google Play – http://bit.ly/2YSuV46  App Store – https://apple.co/2HNH7gZ  Huawei AppGallery - https://bit.ly/2D2OpNP   #FMTNews #ShadSaleemFaruqi #Parliament #PrivateMembersBills

Transcript

00:00MPs have the right under the law and under the standing orders of the House to introduce

00:08new laws.

00:09We'll call them private member's bills.

00:13In 65 years, no private member's bill has ever passed Parliament.

00:21Many have been introduced, but they have not been taken up.

00:27Former law expert Shad Salim Faruqi, referring to bills introduced by an MP who is not part

00:32of the Executive, said this practice could benefit the government in the long run.

00:37In an exclusive interview with FMT, he said the government should adopt the United Kingdom's

00:42approach of ensuring that approximately 20% of all laws passed originate from private

00:47MPs.

00:50He added that when the government avoids pushing bills on controversial matters for fear of

00:54losing votes in the next general election, it could ask MPs to take charge.

01:00So sometimes on inter-religious matters, inter-racial matters, economic matters, issues of law and

01:11morality, it takes a lot of courage on the part of the government to introduce a bill

01:20that would cost them votes.

01:22There is a possibility to use private MPs.

01:27Shad Salim also urged the government not to keep bills secret from MPs until the last

01:31minute and called for MPs to receive legislative assistance to help them analyze bills, draft

01:37speeches and take note of public complaints.

01:42Why should a bill be kept secret?

01:43It's meant for the Raya.

01:45It's meant for everyone's obedience.

01:50How can you obey unless you know something?

01:52I think we should follow the practices in some countries where once a bill is drafted,

01:59it is publicized in the newspapers.

02:03Citizens are invited to give comments and those comments are then taken note of.

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Transcript

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