Etika Legislatif untuk Wakil Rakyat

This paper recommends that members of the legislature consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate, as well as Members of the State Legislative Assembly (ADUN), be swaddled by a Legislative Ethics. This matter should be made compulsory considering that negative influence has begun to take root among the Honourable Members. If this trend goes unchecked, the Parliament and the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) will soon emerge as institutions eclipse in values and virtues or will be seen as institutions with eroding values and virtues. The future integrity of the nation must be assured. This can be achieved if the character and conduct of the Malaysian legislature are being guided in a positive manner.

Strengthening Malaysian Parliamentary Democracy Through Private Member’s Bills

At present, the ability of the Malaysian Legislature – specifically the House of Representatives (Dewan Rakyat) – to effectively check and balance the powers of the Executive is impeded by the lack of a formal mechanism enabling the deliberation and debate of Private Member’s Bills. The Government or the Executive branch remains the primary agenda-setter in Parliamentary sittings, thus undermining the full extent of legislative independence and representative debate taking place in the August House. Drawing on local and international examples, this article argues in favour of allocating space to Private Member’s Bills within the parliamentary agenda and consequently returning legislators their rights and agencies towards strengthening Malaysia’s parliamentary democracy.

Government’s Powers During an Emergency

This write-up looks into the political situation that existed in Malaysia commencing with the 2018 General Election when Pakatan Harapan toppled the long-established Barisan Nasional and thereafter fall of Pakatan Harapan (PH) Government in 2020. Thereafter the Perikatan Nasional (PN) led by Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin took over the government. The PN Government was accused of being a back-door government. Immediately after PN took over the Government, the world, including Malaysia, faced the Covid-19 pandemic. At the same time, the PN Government, which included UMNO and PAS, had only a very small majority in Parliament. The issue of the Government invoking the Emergency powers under Article 150 of the Federal Constitution was extensively discussed amongst the politicians and writers. Article 150 became very relevant. A major part of this write-up (which is supported by legal authorities) involves the legality of the Government invoking Article 150 towards fighting the Covid-19 pandemic in Malaysia.