Dewan Rakyat Speaker: Reforms underway to strengthen parliamentary service
KUALA SELANGOR, May 7 — Several reform initiatives are underway to strengthen Malaysia's Parliament as an autonomous institution following the recent passage of the Parliamentary Services Act 2025 in March, says Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul.
Key measures being implemented include adequate staffing, facility upgrades, and the institutionalisation of 10 Parliamentary Special Select Committees, with Johari anticipating completion 14 months ahead of the 24-month implementation period.
'We're currently working towards these goals,' he told reporters after a dialogue session with Universiti Selangor (Unisel) student leaders at the Unisel Bestari Jaya campus yesterday.
The event was also attended by Unisel Vice-Chancellor Prof Emeritus Datuk Dr Muhammad Redzuan Othman, who is a Senator.
The Act, passed by the Dewan Negara on March 20, establishes parliamentary service as a separate entity from the civil service and creates a Parliamentary Service Council to oversee appointments, finances, and training programmes.
Johari revealed that Malaysia was adopting international best practices from the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand to modernise its parliamentary system.
On the Youth Parliament initiative, he confirmed the Election Commission (EC) would assist in candidate selection processes, with seven campus-based political parties to be established nationwide to nurture future leaders.
Standard operating procedures for the Youth Parliament registration are expected by September 2025. — Bernama
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Malay Mail
30 minutes ago
- Malay Mail
DPM Fadillah: Federal govt allocates RM796.4m for water supply projects as Malaysia prepares for dry monsoon season
KUCHING, June 8 — The Federal Government has allocated RM796.4 million in loans to state governments this year to finance various water supply projects. Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said the projects are among the government's initiatives to mitigate the impact of the Southwest Monsoon, which is expected to bring dry weather and potential drought. Fadillah, who is also the Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister, said as of May this year, 28 projects under this initiative are currently underway. Of the total, 12 are in Sabah, two in Kedah and Perlis, one in Kelantan, three in Pahang and Terengganu and five in Sarawak. 'These projects are at various stages of completion. Some are under implementation and seven are expected to be completed this year,' he told reporters after attending the Aidiladha qurban (sacrificial ritual) programme at Kampung Tupong Jaya, here today. At the same time, Fadillah said his ministry is now focusing on resolving the issue of non-revenue water (NRW). He said NRW is caused by various factors, including system inefficiencies, pipe leakages and water theft. 'When pipe connections are poorly installed, leakages happen. There are also old pipes that have started leaking. Overall, we estimate that the country loses 40 per cent of its treated water. This incurs high costs. 'Therefore, our current priority is to identify methods to reassess the piping systems and replace damaged pipes,' he said. — Bernama

Malay Mail
2 hours ago
- Malay Mail
‘I'm not in business; I'm in politics': Lim Guan Eng says scammers fake voice, image in AI-generated deepfake investment video
KUALA LUMPUR, June 8 — Former finance minister Lim Guan Eng has alerted the public to a fake video circulating online that uses artificial intelligence to mimic his voice and image in what appears to be an investment scam. According to Free Malaysia Today, Lim said the manipulated video falsely shows him endorsing an investment scheme and appears to be based on an old interview recorded in English more than a decade ago. 'I want to be absolutely clear, I have never asked anyone to invest in anything. I'm not in business; I'm in politics,' he said during an event in Air Putih, Penang today. 'They took an old clip, altered it to look new, and changed the language.' Lim pointed out that the fake version is in Mandarin, while the original was in English, and highlighted that the other speaker, Penang Institute executive director Ooi Kee Beng, does not speak Mandarin. 'That alone is a red flag,' he said. He said the video was created using AI and reported the matter to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission. He urged the public to be cautious about unsolicited investment videos and messages circulating on platforms such as WhatsApp. 'The early attempts were clearly fake, but this one is more convincing. It's dangerous, especially for the elderly or those who trust me as a public figure,' he said. Lim added that scammers have used his likeness in at least five digitally altered videos so far. 'They exploit public trust. That's why I need to speak up, to stop people from falling for these scams,' he said. 'Always verify with official sources. Refer to my verified statements. I will never ask anyone to invest in anything.'


Malay Mail
2 hours ago
- Malay Mail
PM directs police to review travel restriction on activist Fahmi Reza
KUALA LUMPUR, June 8 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has directed Deputy Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay to review the travel restriction imposed on activist and graphic artist Fahmi Reza. In a statement today, the Prime Minister's Office said the Madani government upholds individual freedoms as long as they do not threaten national security or breach existing laws, according to Bernama. 'Therefore, the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) must provide further clarification on this matter,' the statement said. 'The Prime Minister's Office will continue to monitor developments accordingly,' it added. Yesterday, Fahmi said he was prevented from boarding a flight to Singapore at KLIA2 after Immigration officers informed him that Bukit Aman had not given clearance for him to leave the country. He was previously barred from entering Sabah on May 29 and believes both incidents are linked to his satirical artwork criticising political figures, including former Sabah chief minister Tun Musa Aman. Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain today clarified that there was no official travel ban against Fahmi and that his name had only been placed on a movement monitoring list. 'There was confusion during an immigration check at an exit point on June 7, 2025, which resulted in an incorrect instruction being issued,' he said in a statement.