Issues related to Malaysia BRICS among the focus of the Dewan Rakyat

KUALA LUMPUR: Issues related to Malaysia’s policy and direction following its desire to join the BRICS economic group (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) and how its participation will help the country’s economic development, will be discussed at the Dewan Rakyat session today.

Bernama reports, according to the Rules of Procedure on the Parliament’s official website, the question was submitted by Lee Chuan How (PH-Ipoh Timor) to the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim during the Minister’s Question Time session.

At the same session, Datuk Awang Hashim (PN-Pendang) asked the Prime Minister to state the government’s focus on preventing corruption, improving the governance and integrity of public service administration and government-related companies in line with the National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS) 2024-2028.

He also wanted to know about the implementation of institutional reforms so that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) can function fairly, transparently and free from executive interference.

Meanwhile, during the question and answer session, Datuk Seri Richard Riot (GPS-Serian) asked the Home Minister to state measures to tighten police station security following the incident at the Ulu Tiram Police Station, Johor, last May.

Datuk Dr Ahmad Marzuk Shaary (PN-Pengkalan Chepa) also posed a question to the Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation regarding the allocation given to the Department of Irrigation and Drainage in each state to overcome the problem of lack of planned drainage and drains to prevent flash floods.

In addition, Chong Chieng Jen (PH-Stampin) asked the Minister of Finance to state whether the government intends to amend the law so that banks are held responsible for bearing the losses of some or all of the victims of fraud crimes that often occur.

The Dewan Rakyat session continued with the presentation of the first reading of nine bills, namely the Child Witness Evidence (Amendment) Bill 2024, the Evidence (Amendment) Bill 2024, the Oath and Pledge (Amendment) Bill 2024 and the Child Sexual Offenses (Amendment) Bill 2024.

Also presented are the Armed Forces (Amendment) Bill 2024, the Security Offenses (Special Measures) (Amendment) Bill 2024, the Penal Code (Amendment) Bill 2024, the Criminal Procedure Code Bill ( Amendment) 2024 and the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency Bill 2024.

After the session, the Dewan Rakyat will continue the debate on the Drug Addicts (Treatment and Rehabilitation) (Amendment) Bill 2024, which among other things is to expand the scope of treatment and rehabilitation for drug or substance addicts or drug or substance abusers.

Also listed in today’s Agenda for the Meeting is a Special Chamber session that touches on balancing freedom and restrictions on speech through the amendment of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.

The Second Meeting of the Third Term of the 15th Parliament lasted for 15 days until 18 July.