Stop using ‘coalition govt’ as excuse for slow reforms, says group

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim with political allies who form the unity government. Anwar is flanked by BN’s Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and GRS’s Hajiji Noor on his right, and GPS’s Abang Johari Openg and Warisan’s Shafie Apdal on his left. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: A coalition of NGOs has urged Pakatan Harapan (PH) to stop saying that the coalition government it leads is the reason for its delays in bringing about institutional reforms.

In a statement, the Seed Community for a Professional Parliament (SCPP) also called on the government to present a clear roadmap and timetable for parliamentary reforms.

SCPP said despite being in power for 15 months, the PH-led government has not completed any major institutional reforms.

“It should stop using ‘coalition government’ as a reason to conceal its lack of appetite and urgency to pursue institutional reforms,” said SCPP.

“We do not accept PH’s reasons that the coalition government it leads is the reason for its delays in bringing about institutional reforms.

“Such an excuse indirectly and unfairly frames its coalition partners – Barisan Nasional, Gabungan Parti Sarawak, Gabungan Rakyat Sabah and Warisan – as anti-reformist.”

In an interview with AstroAwani last November, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s senior political secretary Shamsul Iskandar Akin called for patience from those who have been pushing for reforms.

“We are working towards reforms. We must know our priorities.

“The public needs to remember that this isn’t a pure PH government … It’s a coalition government,” he said.

Roadmap for reforms

In its statement, SCPP said the differing priorities and concerns among coalition partners should lead to more consultation on how to bring about reforms.

SCPP said while commendable initial steps have been taken on reforms like the separation of the public prosecutor’s role from that of the attorney-general, there have been no concrete timelines that exhibit a sense of urgency.

Touching on its roadmap for parliamentary reforms, SCPP said this should include the enactment of a Parliamentary Services Act to restore budgetary and administrative autonomy to the Parliament.

Apart from strengthening and expanding parliamentary select committees through amendments in the Dewan Rakyat’s Standing Orders, SCPP also called for non-government business time during parliamentary sittings to be properly earmarked.

The SCPP is a network of individuals active in civil society organisations, think tanks and academia working towards a professional Parliament that facilitates healthy policy competition between parties.

The statement was endorsed by groups such as election watchdog Bersih, think tank Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs, the Institute for Political Reform and Democracy, and research house Bait Al-Amanah.