KUALA LUMPUR: Sungai Petani lawmaker Datuk Johari Abdul has been appointed as chairman of the Government Backbenchers Club.
Pakatan Harapan chief secretary Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah in announcing this today said the decision was made during PH presidential council meeting on Aug 2.
Johari was PKR chief whip since 2013.
When met at the Parliament lobby, Johari said his first task will be to propose for the setting up of select committees to look at the bills before they are presented to the Dewan Rakyat.
This, he said, is to ensure that bills that are being brought to Parliament are not "half baked".
“At the moment, the absence of such committee is giving problems to us.
“Most MPs spent so much time at the policy level and when it comes to the committee level, the same person will also do the talking.
"At the end of the day, there is no depth in their bills and some being half-baked or incomplete.
“An example was the bill on 'ketum' leaf. It was brought to the Dewan Rakyat twice but still got rejected.” he said.
At the same time, Johari said he is also determined in reinstating the repealed Parliament Services Act 1963.
Such move, he said will ensure that the institution will be a self-governing body, without any interference.
keywords: Sungai Petani lawmaker, Johari Abdul, chairman, Backbenchers Club.