PUTRAJAYA: The nine parliamentary special select committees now have nine members each, following a restructure to reflect the recent memorandum of understanding signed (MOU) between the government and Pakatan Harapan.

       The restructuring involved the composition of MPs from both the government and Opposition, said Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun.

       From the initial seven-member set-up, he said that each committee will now have five government and four Opposition MPs.

       Azhar said it had also been agreed that a new parliamentary special select committee that looks into international affairs will be set up, bringing the total number of committees to 10.

       The process of choosing the members of the latest select committee is ongoing, he said.

       “The restructuring of the special select committees comes following the signing of the MOU on transformation and political stability on Sept 13.

       “It is hoped that with the new structure, the special select committees will be able to effectively carry out the responsibilities tasked to them,” he said in a statement yesterday.

       The government and Opposition leaders signed the historic MOU in Parliament, to pave the way for an approach based on bipartisanship and consensus in bringing about stability and reforms.

       The MOU covers six main agendas, namely empowering the Covid-19 plan, administrative transformation, rejuvenation of Parliament, independence of judicial institutions, Malaysia Agreement (MA63) and the setting up of a steering committee.

       Azhar also revealed the chairmen who would be heading the nine Parliamentary special select committees, with Pengerang MP Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said tasked with heading the committee on women and children affairs and social development, while Beaufort MP Datuk Azizah Mohd Dun heads the committee on fundamental liberty and constitutional rights.

       The other backbenchers selected are Rompin MP Datuk Seri Hasan Arifin (Finance and Economy), Kuala Krai MP Abdul Latiff Abdul Rahman (Agencies under Prime Minister’s Department) and Tanjung Manis MP Yusuf Abd Wahab (Infrastructure Development).

       The four Opposition MPs named are Sungai Petani MP Datuk Johari Abdul (Security), Kulim-Bandar Baru MP Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (Agriculture and Domestic Trade), Simpang Renggam MP Dr Maszlee Malik (Education) and Bandar Kuching MP Kelvin Yii (Health, Science and Innovation).