Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (CU)_ The first week of the Dewan Rakyat session created history by passing the Anti-Sexual Harassment Bill 2021. It is believed that the law, which was initially proposed in 2011, will address sexual harassment in Malaysia, which currently lacks specific laws on the subject.
However, there was an issue during the bill’s discussion as the opposition alleged that Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman (BN-Pasir Salak) had made impolite statements, resulting in a heated argument in the Dewan Rakyat.
Another issue that arose during the session was when Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis (Warisan-Kota Belud) was sent out of the Dewan Rakyat and suspended for two days after she refused the Speaker’s command and insisted that the motion on the Sulu group’s claims on Sabah be discussed.
Before Speaker Tan Sri Azhar Azizan Harun clarified that a debate on the Sulu Group’s allegations in the Dewan Rakyat may jeopardize Malaysia’s interest in the legal procedure of the case, opposition members continued to raise the subject. According to him, the discussion may also disclose the government’s case-handling procedures, giving the opposing party an edge.
In addition, the Dewan Rakyat also passed seven other laws, including National Forestry (Amendment) Bill 2022; Malaysian Border Control Agency (Dissolution) Bill 2021; Offenders Compulsory Attendance (Amendment) Bill 2021; and East Coast Economic Region Development Council (Amendment) Bill 2022; Control of Padi and Rice (Amendment) Bill 2022; the Poisons (Amendment) Bill 2022; and the Employees’ Social Security (Amendment) Bill 2022. However, the proposal to replace Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said as Deputy Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat was postponed till the next sitting of the House.
