By Annabelle Lee

As Malaysia plunges into day five of political uncertainty with no end in sight, Malaysiakini compiles the reforms, plans, events, bilateral discussions and appointments that were underway before the Pakatan Harapan cabinet’s unceremonious dissolution.

This non-exhaustive list also includes many new laws and legal amendments that were announced over the past 20 months, along with the ministries spearheading them and any known timelines.

The list is arranged in no particular order.

Reforms

1. Electoral Reform

Prime Minister’s Department (Electoral Reform Committee)

  • Set up in August 2018, it previously held 21 stakeholder engagement sessions and was due to complete its final report of proposed reforms in August this year.
  • One proposal was to amend the Constitution to replace the present “first past the post” electoral system with a “proportional representation” system. Proponents say this will allow more votes to translate into Parliament seats, and remove the need for by-elections.
  • The committee handed its interim report to former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad at the end of last year.

2. Law Commission and Ombudsman

Prime Minister’s Department (Legal Affairs)

  • Targeted for this year, this independent commission was meant to streamline law reforms across the various ministries plus solve public complaints against government agencies.
  • Cabinet had already approved it.

Plans

1. Targeted Fuel Subsidy Scheme

Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry

  • Originally slated for a Jan 1 roll-out, this scheme was postponed indefinitely as the ministry said it needed more time to work out its database and inform the public about it.
  • RM2.2 billion was allocated for the scheme in Budget 2020 and was part of Harapan’s GE14 manifesto promises.

Events

1. Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) 2020

International Trade and Industry Ministry

  • Meetings have been ongoing since January and the summit is planned for Nov 6 to 12.

2. Asean Conference on Biodiversity

Water, Land and Natural Resources Ministry

  • Slated to run from March 16 to 20 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.
  • The conference is to help set the regional bloc’s direction with regards to biodiversity management, including conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity.

Agreements

1. JB-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Agreement

Transport Ministry

  • Discussions with Singapore have been underway since last year and an agreement is supposed to be inked by April.
  • Mahathir previously announced that Malaysia intends to proceed with the project for RM3.16 billion, a 36 percent reduction from the original price.

2. Malaysia-Singapore Water Tariff Agreement

Foreign Affairs Ministry

  • Former minister Saifuddin Abdullah previously said that he wanted to present a revised price for the sale of raw water to Singapore. No timeline was announced.
  • Malaysia wants to change the terms of the 1962 Johore River Water Agreement – which states Singapore can buy 250 million gallons of raw water from the Johor River daily at RM0.70 per 1,000 gallons.

Laws

1. Limiting prime ministership to two terms

Prime Minister’s Department (Legal Affairs)

  • The constitutional amendment bill is supposed to be debated in the upcoming Dewan Rakyat sitting, which begins on March 9.
  • The amendment proposes that 10-year limits be imposed not only for the PM but also the menteri besar and chief minister positions.
  • This was one of Harapan’s GE14 manifesto promises.

2. Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) Bill

Prime Minister’s Department (Legal Affairs)

  • The second and third readings were supposed to be tabled in the upcoming Dewan Rakyat sitting, which begins on March 9.
  • The bill was first tabled on July 18 last year. Debates were postponed twice. The proposed law was previously referred to the Parliamentary Select Committee for the Consideration of Bills for review.
  • This was one of Harapan’s GE14 manifesto promises.

3. Political Funding Bill

Prime Minister’s Department (Legal Affairs)

  • The first reading of the bill is supposed to be tabled in the upcoming Dewan Rakyat sitting, which begins on March 9.
  • This was one of Harapan’s GE14 manifesto promises.

4. Anti-Sexual Harassment Law

Women, Family and Community Development Ministry

  • The first reading is supposed to be tabled in the upcoming Dewan Rakyat sitting, which begins on March 9. 
  • The bill is supposed to include provisions for a special tribunal to hear sexual harassment cases.
  • This was one of Harapan’s GE14 manifesto promises.

5. Amendment to Malaysia Agreement 1963

Prime Minister’s Department (Legal Affairs)

  • The bill is supposed to be tabled in the upcoming Dewan Rakyat sitting, which begins on March 9.
  • This would be Harapan’s second attempt at amending Article 1(2) of the Federal Constitution.
  • This was one of Harapan’s GE14 manifesto promises.

6. Parliament Services Bill

  • The bill is supposed to be tabled in the upcoming Dewan Rakyat sitting, which begins on March 9. 
  • If passed, this would have restored the autonomy of the lower house by removing it from being under the purview of the Prime Minister’s Department, allowing it the right to its own budget and prerogative to hire staff.

7. Amend Sosma

Home Ministry

  • The amendments to the “draconian” elements of the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 are supposed to be tabled in the upcoming Dewan Rakyat sitting, which begins on March 9.  
  • Changes being considered include shortening the 28-day remand and narrowing the definition of security offences.
  • As of Nov 2019, cabinet had yet to approve to these amendments.
  • This was one of Harapan’s GE14 manifesto promises.

8. Decriminalising attempted suicide

Prime Minister’s Department (Legal Affairs)

  • Tabling the Penal Code amendment was targeted for mid-2020. 
  • The Attorney-General’s Chambers had held engagement sessions to compile alternatives to imprisoning people who attempted to kill themselves. A policy working paper was already drafted but it had yet to reach the cabinet as of Dec 30, 2019.

9. Government Procurement Bill

Finance Ministry

  • Tabling the new law was targeted for mid-2020. 
  • Announced in Budget 2019, the bill aims to curb public wastage and make government expenditure more transparent.

10. Higher Education Act to replace UUCA 1971

Education Ministry

  • The much-criticised law is supposed to be abolished and replaced this year.
  • Two committees were previously formed to discuss the new law.
  • This was one of Harapan’s GE14 manifesto promises.

11. Anti-Stalking Law

Women, Family and Community Development Ministry

  • The law is supposed to be brought to the cabinet and then the Dewan Rakyat by this year. 
  • The bill is to criminalise stalking, peeping and prying – whether in person or virtually.

12. Amendment to Wildlife Conservation Act 2010

Water, Land and Natural Resources Ministry

  • According to Perhilitan, changes were supposed to be tabled this year to toughen and broaden the law to enable it to take action on promoting wildlife for sale.

13. Media Council Bill

Communications and Multimedia Ministry

  • The pro-tem committee was in the midst of drafting the proposed law.
  • No timeline was announced.
  • This was one of Harapan’s GE14 manifesto promises.

14. Anti-Gender Discrimination Law

Women, Family and Community Development Ministry

  • No target date for tabling this law was announced but 16 stakeholder engagement sessions had already been held.

15. Abolishment of Mandatory Death Penalty

Prime Minister’s Department (Legal Affairs)

  • No timeline for tabling the bill was announced but a cabinet paper was in the works. This was after a special committee submitted its report to the government following town hall meetings and public consultations.
  • The government planned to remove the mandatory death penalty and allow judicial discretion for 11 criminal offences including for drug possession.
  • This was one of Harapan’s GE14 manifesto promises.

16. Freedom of Information Act to replace OSA 1972

Prime Minister’s Department (Legal Affairs)

  • No target tabling date was announced but the special cabinet committee on anti-corruption had already begun engaging stakeholders and the public.
  • This was one of Harapan’s GE14 manifesto promises.

17. Transboundary Haze Law

Energy, Science, Technology, Environment, and Climate Change Ministry

  • No target tabling date was announced but cabinet had approved it.
  • The proposed law would enable the government to take action on Malaysian individuals and companies operating abroad that cause haze. Malaysia faced haze for two straight months last year.

18. Harsher fines for drunk driving

Transport Ministry

  • No target tabling date has been announced but cabinet had agreed to it.
  • The ministry had planned to review how to amend existing reckless driving laws in the Road Transport Act 1987 and engage with the relevant agencies.
  • Among the proposals being studied was raising the maximum fine for driving under the influence from RM20,000 to RM100,000, and raising the maximum jail term from 10 to 20 years.

Appointments

1. Education Minister

Prime Minister

  • Following Maszlee Malik’s resignation, Mahathir stepped in as the acting education minister and had yet to announce a replacement before the PM himself resigned and the cabinet dissolved.
  • This is now academic as all ministers and deputy ministers have vacated their posts while Mahathir serves as interim prime minister.

2. National Unity and Social Harmony Deputy Minister

Prime Minister

  • No one had been appointed to replace Dr Md Farid Md Rafik since he passed away on Sept 21 last year.
  • This is now academic as all ministers and deputy ministers have vacated their posts while Mahathir serves as interim prime minister.