KUALA LUMPUR: The Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2025 which seeks to amend the Federal Constitution and the Parliamentary Service Bill 2025, which aim at improving the country’s main democratic institution, Parliament, were tabled for the first reading in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, who tabled the Bill, said the second reading of both bills would be made at this sitting.
The Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2025 aims to amend the Federal Constitution, including amending Articles 56 and 57 by inserting a new Clause (5A).
The clause states that a person elected to be the Speaker of the Senate and Dewan Rakyat or the Deputy Speaker shall not be disqualified from holding such office by virtue of his membership in the Parliamentary Service Council provided that the President of the Senate or Deputy President of the Senate does not receive any remuneration, reward, profit or benefit from such membership.
The Bill also seeks to amend Article 65 of the Federal Constitution to provide for the appointment of the Clerk of the Senate and the Clerk to the House of Representatives by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong who may be appointed from among or not from among members of the general civil service of the Federation.
Meanwhile, the Parliamentary Service Bill 2025 among others aims to establish the Parliamentary Service which is a separate service from the public service.
It also provides for the establishment of the Parliamentary Service Council whose functions include appointing and determining the terms and conditions of appointment of members of the Parliamentary Service, monitoring all financial matters relating to the Parliamentary Service and developing and implementing programmes and training relating to the Parliamentary Service.
According to the Bill, the government shall provide sufficient funds for the Parliamentary Service annually to enable the Parliamentary Service Council to perform its functions.
