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DATUK Seri Azalina Othman Said, the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department for Law and Institutional Reform, has referred to the proposed amendments to the Federal Constitution and the introduction of the Parliamentary Services Bill 2025 as the "mother of all reforms," marking a significant shift in the way Malaysia’s parliamentary institution operates.
Azalina told the Dewan Rakyat today under the MADANI Government's ongoing institutional reform agenda, the Parliamentary Services Bill would grant Parliament greater autonomy, allowing it to independently determine policies and governance.
This move, she noted, would enhance the separation of powers between the judiciary, executive, and legislature, giving real effect to this vital democratic principle.
"This development is a step toward strengthening the role of Parliament. It gives true meaning to the separation of powers between the three branches of government: the judiciary, the executive, and the legislature," Azalina stated while wrapping up her speech on the motion of thanks for the royal address to the Prime Minister’s Department.
She explained that the creation of the bill had been an inclusive process, involving multiple rounds of engagement sessions, committee meetings, and surveys throughout 2023 and 2024.
These discussions included key stakeholders such as the Senate President, the Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat, the Public Service Department, the Ministry of Finance, and several non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
The goal of these consultations was to gather input on the formulation of policies and the establishment of the Parliamentary Services Act.
Azalina also noted the historical context of the bill, pointing out that the original Parliamentary Services Act was enacted in 1963 before being repealed in 1992.
The new bill, alongside the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2025, was tabled for its first reading in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.
The second reading of the bill is scheduled for March 4 and will be presented by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
In addition to discussing the Parliamentary Services Bill, Azalina raised concerns about the need to modernise Malaysia’s legal framework, specifically the Contracts Act 1950 (Act 136), which she described as outdated.
She argued that revisions were necessary to bring the law in line with modern digital transactions and e-commerce agreements, noting that much of the Act still relied on outdated language that no longer reflected the realities of today's business environment.
"This is a significant issue because, in today's world, bank documents are often digital, and signatures are also electronic. The current law doesn't always account for this, and it can complicate legal cases, particularly when it comes to proving contracts," Azalina said.
To address these challenges, she revealed that the Act 136 Amendment Review Committee was established on January 14, led by Federal Court Judge Datuk Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera.
The committee's task is to conduct a thorough review of the Act, with the aim of making necessary amendments to ensure it remains relevant in the digital age. – February 25, 2025
