Debate On Royal Address Completed, Winding Up By 15 Ministries During Third Week Of Parliament Sitting

KUALA LUMPUR, 21 Feb (Bernama) -- This week's Dewan Rakyat sitting saw 15 ministries winding up the debate on the motion of thanks for the royal address by His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia.

They are the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development, the Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation, the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Housing and Local Government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Also, the Ministry of Public Works, the Home Ministry, the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development and the Ministry of National Unity.

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A total of 157 Members of Parliament (MPs) participated in the debate. 

Among the highlights this week was the winding up by Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu who stated that efforts to improve the rice and padi industry are expected to be fully implemented within the first six months of this year.

He said efforts were carried out diligently by the ministry to reform the padi and rice industry, which included a  Study of the Padi and Rice Industry in Malaysia by the Malaysian Competition Commission (MyCC).

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Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, in his winding up on behalf of the ministry, said Malaysia is making efforts to hold a Special ASEAN-United States (US) Summit either in Malaysia or the US and that this had been agreed upon at the ASEAN Foreign MInisters’ level to ensure ASEAN is not seen as leaning towards any particular country.

Another highlight this week was a briefing on petroleum activities in Sarawak involving Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas) and Petros (Petroleum Sarawak Berhad) by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

The prime minister said the federal government and the Sarawak government have accepted Sarawak’s oil industry aspirations as embodied under the Distribution of Gas Ordinance 2016 (Amendment) (DGO) which will come into effect on March 1 this year.

At the minister's briefing session on the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (SOSMA), Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the law can still be improved to balance national security needs with individual rights.

He said the government would consider establishing a dedicated court for offences under Sosma to expedite the prosecution process which will be similar to the Special Court for Corruption and the Special Court for Child Sexual Crime.

This week Parliament sitting also saw the Tunku Abdul Rahman Foundation Fund (Amendment)  Bill 2025 tabled for the first reading. 

The bill seeks to amend among others, Section 2 of the law to replace the definition of "Minister" with a new definition to reflect that the Minister mentioned in the act means the Minister responsible for the Tunku Abdul Rahman Foundation Fund.

The Dewan Rakyat sitting continues next Monday with 13 more ministries including the Prime Minister's Department to wind up the debate on the royal address, which will then be followed with the tabling of bills and other government matters until March 6.

-- BERNAMA