Over the past two weeks, the Malaysian Parliament has tabled and passed important legislation rather swiftly, leading to calls for better use of parliamentary special select committees to ensure the quality of lawmaking is not compromised.
The passing of the Government Procurement Bill 2025 in the Dewan Rakyat today, without it being reviewed by a special select committee, has raised concerns among civil society organisations (CSOs), who are urging for greater scrutiny of bills in the future.
The Government Procurement Bill 2025, which was tabled for its first reading on Monday, aims to provide a comprehensive legal framework for government procurement at the federal and state levels. Once passed as law, it will apply to all ministries, statutory bodies, government-linked companies, and local authorities that use public funds.
Jerald Joseph, chair of the CSO Platform for Reform, a coalition of 72 civil society organisations, said all parties – lawmakers, civil society, and the public – should not be caught by surprise by the passage of important legislation.
“The Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat must step up and ensure parliamentary select committees are utilised if it concerns procedures for bills that require feedback,” said Joseph.
“This is to ensure transparency and proper understanding. It will prevent any element of surprise that could lead to anger.”
Joseph noted that while laws had often been bulldozed in the Malaysian Parliament for the last 30 years, consultation with stakeholders must be open and take place at every stage of drafting.
“Each time a draft of a bill is amended, it ought to be made public. This will ensure people have a better understanding of a proposed law.”
Opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) walked out in protest following the passage of the Government Procurement Bill.
Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee (PN–Beluran) cited Standing Order 80(5), stating that it is the duty of special select committees to scrutinise bills related to relevant ministries after their first reading.
However, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul said that for a bill to be referred to a committee, the committee’s chairman must make a written request to the relevant ministry. However, no such request was made for the Government Procurement Bill, he said.
“The Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat has said he wants to make our Parliament world-class. It sounds suspicious if laws are passed very fast, just days after the first reading of a bill,” Joseph said.
Joseph also stressed that select committees must function properly and not merely serve to tick boxes.
“It must not be an avenue where people give their input on a bill, but we do not know whether or not these views are being considered.”
Joseph added that while civil society welcomes new laws, the government must not forget its commitment to legislative reform.
Other controversial bills
Another controversial bill that has drawn criticism this week is the proposed Urban Renewal Bill, which was scheduled for a second reading today, but has been deferred to the next Dewan Rakyat sitting. The delay is believed to be due to significant resistance from both civil society and across parliamentary divides.
First tabled last Thursday by Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming, the proposed legislation aims to replace outdated laws governing the redevelopment of dilapidated urban areas. However, critics argue that the law could undermine the rights of minority residents by forcing them to comply with the majority who want their area redeveloped.
Datuk M. Ali, chairman of Selamatkan Kuala Lumpur, said he was perplexed with the current state of affairs concerning important legislation such as the Urban Renewal Bill.
“There are a lot of hidden hands behind the present bunch of laws and rules which are greatly against the rakyat. The rakyat are fully alert and should not be taken for granted,” he said.
“On behalf of several residents’ associations and communities, we demand that Nga must resign for persistently advocating to push through the Urban Renewal Bill without engaging and considering the needs of the rakyat. We want all the Pakatan Harapan MPs to object the Bill outright.”
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim also waded into the issue, saying the views of the Opposition were important to refine the Urban Renewal Bill.
In a Facebook posting, Anwar said he met Opposition Leader, Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin at the Parliament lobby this evening regarding the Bill.
“Their views are important in refining the amendments to ensure that the implementation is more comprehensive, inclusive, and rooted in the interests of the people,” he said
The Gig Workers Bill 2025, which was tabled for its first reading on Monday, has also come under scrutiny.
While many organisations expressed support for the bill at the Parliament building on Monday, some quarters felt the legislation was rushed and could hurt smaller players. Certain industry representatives claimed they had not seen the draft before its first reading, alleging the bill was “bulldozed through.”
During the second reading of the Gig Workers Bill today, the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) raised concerns that the bill was drafted without sufficient consultation.
In a statement, Suhakam welcomed the move to regulate the sector but warned that the legislation may not adequately safeguard workers.
