KUCHING: The selection of the Dewan Negara members will be conducted in a more open manner.
In announcing this, Dewan Negara President Tan Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said that currently, the selection of the members is through two processes namely by the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) and appointment by the King.
Based on the Federal Constitution, he said that in addition to those processes, members of the Dewan Negara are also elected through open elections.
“The appointment of one or several people from each state involves individuals who have expertise in certain fields or represent groups that cannot be present in the Dewan Negara to voice their interests.
“For example, individuals from the indigenous or minority groups such as the Penan people in Sarawak or the Saiya people in Sabah can be appointed as representatives.
“Individuals like this should not be ignored. In addition, experts who have competence in government, business, agriculture, and various other fields also need to be represented in the chamber,” he said.
He said this in an interview after visiting the Medan Niaga Kubah Ria here today.
Following this, he stated that although the federal constitution provides for the election of members of the Dewan Negara openly, its implementation has not yet been fully enforced.
“It can be implemented provided the central government makes a decision and the Election Commission (EC) provide appropriate guidance. The voting method will be determined and needs to be discussed in more detail,” he added.
In light of this, he added that there are some issues that are easier to overcome and needed to be prioritised first.
For example, changes in the administration of Parliament, reorganisation of existing laws such as the Parliamentary Counsel Act and laws relating to the powers and privileges of Parliament contained in the Parliament Act 1952.
“In addition, the existing laws also need to be amended to ensure that certain appointments are carried out in an orderly manner and to create new systems in Parliament.
“For example, there is no vote of confidence or no-confidence mechanism in the Malaysian Parliamentary system, as well as the validity of private member bills that are in Parliament in other countries,” he explained.
Wan Junaidi concluded that to introduce this change, it will involve the formation of new laws, amendments to the Constitution, and comprehensive discussions.
For him, it is more practical to deal with things that are easier to reach first, before moving on to things that require a wider discussion.
