Anwar seeks to deal with civil servants snubbing parliamentary committees

PARLIAMENT | Port Dickson MP Anwar Ibrahim will meet with the heads of several parliamentary select committees to address the issue of senior civil servants being unco-operative when they are summoned.

"We have received input from select committee chairpersons that some of them face difficulties inviting senior officials to provide briefings and other related issues.

"The caucus will take the first step to meet all chairpersons next week and we will discuss the problem with them and then present it to the speaker so that the issues can be addressed," he told a press conference after chairing the reform and governance caucus at the Parliament building today.

Several committees were set up following the installation of a new government last year to improve oversight over the government.

However, Anwar noted the committees had limited powers.

Anwar said that, in the meeting next week, stakeholders will discuss how the committees can be strengthened so that they can fulfil Pakatan Harapan's promise of institutional reform.

He also thanked Dewan Rakyat speaker Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof for his commitment towards reforms, but said more measures were needed to strengthen the roles of the committees.

On a related matter, Anwar said the caucus had discussed the reintroduction of the Parliamentary Services Act with the Dewan Rakyat speaker and ministers involved.

He added that the revived Act would help promote the effectiveness of the parliamentary select committees.