Lend your ear to members of Malaysian Parliament

The Minister for Parliament in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz should listen attentively to members of the House and refrain from appointing a Director or Manager with Superscale B over the Clerk (Setiausaha) of Parliament with Superscale C. Now that he has done it, has he the courage to undo the damage?

After hearing Nazri defending his decision to appoint a Director or Parliament Head of Administration with Superscale B to manage the affairs of Parliament, Dr Tan Seng Giaw, DAP National Deputy Chairman and MP for Kepong, is amazed at the heedless enthusiasm with which Nazri pursues his objective. His stated aim is to improve services in Parliament. If he really believes in it, he should get the views of 218 other members who should have a say in how the institution is run. Instead, he has run roughshod over them.

Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang has congratulated the Malaysian Senate House Committee for scheduling a meeting on the issue on 11 November, 2005. It would be interesting to know their decision on Nazri's fait accompli.

Nazri can explain to members whether he has sought permission from the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and then the approval of the Cabinet, hoping that he would upgrade services in Parliament. Has Nazri an ulterior motive?

Has he enlightened the Prime Minister that putting a Superescale B officer over the Superscale C Clerk is doing thing upside down? His prattling about the principle of separation of powers and the independence of Legislature has been contradicted by his appointment of the Head of Adminstration or Director Datuk Kamaruddin before consulting members. The latter has come to Parliament, looking for his office. A room is being renovated for him as soon as possible.

Members are in favour of establishing Parliamentary Services Committee as proposed by President of Backbenchers' Club Datuk Sharir Samad. It is more logical to reenact Parliamentary Services Act that was repealed in 1993 after the constituional amendment the year before.