Dewan Rakyat Speaker Johari Abdul says the student programme offers a powerful civic education, aiming to bridge a long-standing gap in understanding parliamentary democracy
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s Sekolah Parlimen programme is giving students a front-row seat to democracy, and Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul says it could be the first step in addressing a decades-long gap in understanding how Parliament functions.
Drawing on 15 years as an MP and his earlier experience as a student leader, Johari told theSun in an exclusive interview that the overall quality of parliamentary engagement has changed little over time.
“When you are an MP for 15 years and now serving as Speaker, I do not see much change in terms of understanding the role of an MP,” he said.
“You have some who are vibrant and knowledgeable, but overall many behave as ‘normal’ MPs. The transformation we hope for is not that visible.”
Johari noted that MPs come from diverse professional backgrounds, including former civil servants, business figures, lawyers and doctors, yet are expected to champion reforms, propose policies and articulate national interests.
“They come with a spectrum of backgrounds, but once they are here, they must speak about the people’s interest and national interest. So I asked myself, what is missing? Why do people drift when they are in positions of power?”
Rather than blaming the education system or any institution, he said the solution lies in early exposure and structured civic engagement.
Under the Sekolah Parlimen initiative, selected head boys and head girls, particularly from rural schools, are brought to Parliament during sitting days, primarily Tuesdays and Thursdays.
“On Tuesdays, we have the Prime Minister’s Question Time. On Thursdays, we have Ministers’ Question Time. Students can sit in the chamber and see, in real time, what democracy is all about,” Johari said.
Witnessing live debates and ministerial accountability offers students what he described as a “compressed yet powerful civic education”.
“You inculcate that feeling among them. Some may say, ‘I want to be like him.’ You ignite that desire to one day become an MP.”
Johari added that even a few hours in Parliament could offer deeper insights than years in a classroom.
“If they spend three or four hours here, they may gain more insight into democracy than six years in school. That is the impact we are aiming for.”
Launched last year in collaboration with the Education Ministry, the Sekolah Parlimen programme is Johari’s brainchild, designed to give secondary school students structured early exposure to Malaysia’s parliamentary processes and how national policies are debated, formulated and decided.