(Photo by Chris Montgomery on Unsplash)
With the continued suspension of Parliament, there has been an absence of the typical day-to-day political processes we have been accustomed to. Perhaps the most noticeable absence is the lack of scrutiny of those the people have elected which is a key component of good governance. This is why His Majesty the Yang di-Pertuan Agong wants parliament to reconvene before August 2021. While plans are being made, there is still no official word if and when this will take place.
Rather than wait for Parliament to reconvene, the various political parties should take the lead by using online avenues to hold their own sittings.
This is not to suggest they pass legislation as this certainly requires formal parliamentary sittings. The function of Parliament is not merely to create laws, but also to maintain checks and balances of the Executive Branch of government. Must 222 MPs and 70 Senators be in the same hall and breathing space to achieve this process? This writer is of the opinion that it is not necessary.
Elected officials can convene amongst their own parties or as coalitions in an unofficial capacity to review government action and to make worthwhile recommendations. These sittings can be streamed online to the public, similar to parliamentary sittings, to allow further scrutiny from the rakyat and provide them with opportunities to give suggestions.
Traditionally a parliament’s question time sees queries being answered by Ministers or their Deputies from their membered peers. While such a feature may be absent from an informal online party-only sitting, it remains the duty of MPs and Senators, from both the government and opposition, to ask questions – questions that highlight matters the rakyat are concerned about.
This will allow the necessary pressures of checks and balances to be somewhat restored. More importantly, it is for those in government to be reminded of the need to be accountable to voters.
The White Flag movement has shown that we need not wait for the government for something meaningful to happen. A Digital Parliament was convened by the youth almost exactly a year ago, showing that this can indeed be done.
The last time Parliament convened was in December 2020, before the declaration of the emergency. It is unhealthy for a modern democracy aspiring to champion good governance to lack an avenue for such checks and balances for so long.
Political parties convening on their own accord will show leadership to their fellow Malaysians that the democratic process can still take place by carrying out their duties online. Rather than merely falling short at demanding for parliament to reconvene. Our politicians should walk the talk, stop waiting and come up with an alternative means to govern.
(This article was written a day before YB Datuk Seri Haji Takiyuddin Hassan, Malaysia's Law Minister announced that Parliament would convene before August 2021, which killed the appeal of the article to the media. An idea still worth sharing)
Comentários