This document provides an overview of the Malaysian parliamentary system. It discusses the structure of the legislature including the Senate and House of Representatives. It outlines their powers and roles, such as the House of Representatives having more direct control over legislation. The legislative process and resolving conflicts between the two houses is also summarized. Parliamentary privileges that allow each house to govern itself and punish contempt are mentioned. Examples of relevant court cases are also briefly noted.

1. Shamrahayu A. Aziz

2.  Introduction
 The Legislatures in Malaysia
State Legislature
Federal Legislature
 Powers of the Houses
 Legislative Procedure
 Parliamentary Privileges
 Effectiveness of Malaysian Parliament

3.  Parliament is a symbol of Parliamentary Democracy
 Three main functions: democratic system (scrutinize public
expenditure), prime law making body for the nation, forum
to make the government accountable
 Parliamentary system is not new to the Malaysian: SS, FMS
(Federal Legislative Council), Federation of Malaya (1948)
 First parliament 1955 – Federal Legislative Assembly
 Present Parliament is of Westminster model
 To govern independent Tanah Melayu through
representatives

4.  Terms of Reference: (Reid Commission)
"to make recommendations for a federal form of
constitution for the country as a single, independent, self-
governing unit within the Commonwealth based on
Parliamentary democracy with a bicameral legislature"

5.  Article 44
"The Legislative authority of the Federation shall be vested in a
Parliament, which shall consist of the Yang di-Pertuan
Agong, and two Majlis (Houses of Parliament) to be known
as the Dewan Negara (Senate) and Dewan Rakyat (House of
Representatives).“

6.  8th
Schedule
Item 3 – State Legislature consists of Ruler and Legislative Assembly
Item 4 – Legislative Assembly consists of such number determined by the
state
Item 5 – Qualifications of members
i. citizen
ii. Of, or over 21 years of age
iii. Resident in the state
Item 6 – Disqualification for membership

7.  Yang di-Pertuan Agong
 House of Representatives
 Senate

8.  General – Parliament controls of itself (autonomy)
in term of organisation and administration
(Parliamentary Services Act 1963 – repealed in 1992)
 For that purpose Parliament has committees of the House,
they are namely:
Standing Order Committee
Privileges Committee
Election Committee
House Committee
Public Account Committee (not in the Dewan Negara)

9.  Constitutional Commission recommended:
1. Senate would have less direct control over the legislation
and administration
2. The ultimate responsibility should rest with that House of
Parliament which had been elected by direct elections
3. A money Bill shall only be introduced in the House of
Representative and other Bills may be introduced in
either house
4. Power of the Senate is not equal to the powers of the
House of Representatives; but will be having revising and
delaying powers
5. Ministers will be able to continue in office
notwithstanding an adverse vote in the senate

10.  Delegation of Legislative Power
It is normally done with a Parent Act
Kulasingam v. Commissioner of Lands, Federal Territory [1982] 1 MLJ 204
Hashim Yeop Sani "there is nothing to prevent Parliament from
delegating power to legislate on minor and administrative matters".
Eng Keock Cheng v. Public Prosecutor [1966] 1 MLJ 18 (FC)
Similar decision.

11.  Residual Legislative Powers
 The term of reference:
“the question of residual legislative power to
be examined by and to be the subject of
recommendations by the Commission”.

12.  Article 55
Summon, Prorogue and Dissolve
 Article 66
Royal assent: At at the beginning of every Act, there is an enacting
Clause, worded as "Be it an Act enacted by the Yang di-Petuan Agong,
with the advice and consent of the Dewan Negara and Dewan Rakyat in
Parliament assembled and by the authority of the same as follows".

13.  Role
revising chamber/mature deliberation
scrutinize government’s action
legitimize the law
protect the position of states
 Powers
Lesser than House of Representatives

14.  Composition
Reid Commission – different opinion; elected or nominated
Article 45 – Elected and appointed members
- 2 members from each state – elected in accordance
with
7th
Schedule
- 2 from KL, 1 from Labuan, 1 from Putrajaya
- 40 appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong

15.  Role
Prime minister is from here
Political forum
Prime source of Legislation
Scrutinize policies and administration
Has the power to override the Senate – 1 month in Money Bill
and twelve months in non-Money Bill
 Composition
Article 46

16.  Qualification
 Article 47:
Senate 30 years.
House of Representatives 21 years
Not disqualified in pursuance of Article 48.

17.  Disqualification
Articles 48, 50, 53
Fan Yew Teng v. Setia Usaha, Dewan Ra‘ayat & Ors [1975]
1MLJ 41 (HC Malaysia)
Articles 50
the seat vacant in pursuance to Article 50(1)
In case of vacancies, the replacement shall be made within
60 days. (Art. 54) – except when the vacancy establishes
within 2 yrs before the HOR stands dissolved
Article 53
Decisions as to disqualification
Article 52
Absent from the House of Parliament for six months

18.  Speaker of Dewan Rakyat – Article 57
 President of the Senate – Article 56

19.  Article 66 (1):
"The power of Parliament to make laws shall be exercised by
Bills passed by both Houses (or, in the cases mentioned in
Article 68, the House of Representatives) and, except as
otherwise provided in this Article, assented to by the Yang
di-Pertuan Agong.
 Article 66 (2):
"Subject to Article 67, a Bill may originate in either House“
 Article 67 provides for restriction on introduction of Bills and moving of
amendments involving taxation, expenditure etc – shall be introduced or
moved by a Minister and shall be introduced in HOR

20.  Before going to Parliament: Pre-Bill stage
 In the Parliament: First Reading, Second Reading,
Committee Stage, Third Reading.
 Having been passed in the House where the Bill
was introduced the Bill will then be sent to another
House, in which it will go through the same process
and similar stages. If the Bill is passed by the second
House, it will be submitted to the YDPA for his royal
assent.
 If not passed by the second House (Conflict
between the two Houses)

21.  Resolving Conflict between the two Houses
Money Bill
(Money Bill - Defined in art. 68 (6)
If the conflict involves money Bill the
provisions in Article 68(1) is the most
relevant. If money Bill is passed by the
House of Representatives, and having
been sent to House of Senate, is not
passed by the Senate within a month, it
shall be presented to the YDPA for his
royal assent and the provisions on the
royal assent is applicable.

22.  Non-Money Bill
The Senate has a delaying power; if the Bill is not
passed by the Senate, it shall be returned to the
HOR. The Bill shall be read again (for the 2nd
time) in
a period not less than one year. Following that, if the
Bill is passed by the HOR, it will again, be sent to the
Senate. If the Senate does not pass the Bill, or pass
the Bill with amendment not agreeable by the HOR, )
unless otherwise ordered by the HOR) the Bill will be
sent to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong for his royal
assent.
Article 68(2)
The Pesticides (Amendment) 2004 Bill
Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz “The DN is not a rubber stamp
institution, they (Senators) have a role to play. It’s
something good, which shows that senators
scrutinised every detail in the Bills tabled” The Star,
27th
July 2004, at.22

23.  General – the Bill is passed by both Houses and obtained a Royal
assent:
"Be it an Act enacted by the Duli Yang Maha Mulia Seri Paduka
Baginda Yang di-Petuan Agong, with the advice and consent of
the Dewan Negara and Dewan Rakyat in Parliament assembled
and by the authority of the same as follows".
 Change in the requirement of Royal Assent:
- The original provisions of Article 66(4) and (5) on the Royal
assent
- Constitution (Amendment) Act 1983 (Act A566) (took effect 16th
December 1983) – 15 days rule
-Constitution (Amendment) Act 1984 (Act A584) amended Article
66(4) and (5) (took effect on 20th January 1984) – 30 days
rule/second chance for the royal assent
-Constitution (Amendment) Act 1994 (Act A885) (took effect 24th
June 1994) – 30 days / No second chance

24.  Parliamentary privilege refers to particular
legal rights which apply to each House of
Parliament. It is a term to describe the
laws relating to:
(1) the privileges or immunities of the
Parliament; and
(2) the powers of the Parliament, particularly
its power to hold inquiries and to punish
contempt.

25.  Parliamentary privileges means,
“ the sum of peculiar rights enjoyed by each
house collectively… and by members of
each house individually, without which
they could not discharge their functions…”

26.  Articles 63 and 72
 Houses of Parliament (Privileges and Powers) Act 1952, Revised
1988 (Act 347).
 Standing Order 23(2)
 “Apa-apa pertanyaan yang telah diberitahu kepada Setiausaha
atau yang telah diminta kebenaran hendak dikeluarkan dengan
tidak didahulukan dengan pemberitahu, jika pada timbangan
Tuan Yang di-Pertua menyalahi hak boleh mengeluarkan
pertanyaan atau telah dikeluarkan dengan sengaja hendak
menghalang atau merosakkan aturan perjalanan Majlis
Mesyuarat, atau menaikkan perasaan bersakit-sakit hati atau
bermusuh-musuhan di antara satu kaum dengan satu kaum dalam
Malaysia, atau melanggar apa-apa syarat dalam Perlembagaan
atau Akta Hasutan 1948, atau Peraturan ini, maka bolehlah Tuan
Yang di-Pertua mengeluarkan perintah:

27.  “berkehendakkan pertanyaan itu dicap atau dikeluarkan dengan apa-apa
pindaan yang diperintahkan oleh Tuan Yang di-Pertua; atau
 berkehendakkan ahli yang mengeluarkan pertanyaan itu diberitahu iaitu
pertanyaannya tidak dibenarkan.
 Jika sesuatu pertanyaan itu tidak dibenarkan oleh Tuan Yang di-Pertua,
maka ahli yang mengeluarkan pertanyaan itu hendaklah diberitahu
dengan surat oleh Setiausaha dengan diterangkan sebab-sebabnya tidak
dibenarkan itu.
 Walau apa jua syarat yang disebutkan dahulu daripada ini, seseorang
Menteri yang diarahkan sesuatu pertanyaan kepadanya, dengan
diperkenankan oleh Tuan Yang di-Pertua, boleh enggan menjawab
pertanyaan itu oleh sebab hendak memelihara faedah orang ramai, dan
keengganannya menjawab itu tidak boleh dibahaskan atau disoal.
 Setiausaha adalah diberi kuasa menyunting pertanyaan-pertanyaan
yang dihantarkan”

28.  How do the Parliamentary Privileges work
The Parliamentary Privileges apply only to
matters discussed in parliament or
parliamentary proceedings.

29.  Inspector General of Police v Lee Kim Hong
[1979] 2 MLJ 291)
 Lim Woon Chong v Public Prosecutor [1979]
2 MLJ 264.
 Fan Yew Teng v. Government of Malaysia
[1976] 2 MLJ 262

30.  Abdul Rahman Talib v Seenivassagam &
Anor [1966] 2 MLJ 66, 78
 Mark Koding v Public Prosecutor [1982] 2
MLJ 120
 Lim Guan Eng v Public Prosecutor