DECEMBER 8 — I refer to New Sin Yew Self-defeating amendments to Section 233 of CMA.

I agree with the learned writer that the proposed amendments to the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (CMA) be sent before a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) for a thorough and detailed analysis of the amendments.

In Law-making process should not be bulldozed, law should not be rushed, I wrote that law-making process should not be bulldozed. That includes the law-amending process. Law-amending is law-making.

Pardon me, I’m being circular.

After criticisms by Article 19, the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) and New Sin Yew, it is hoped that the minister will resort to the Dewan Rakyat Standing Order (DRSO) No. 54(1) to commit the Communications and Multimedia (Amendment) Bill 2024 to a PSC following its first reading and before its second reading.

Why PSC?

The answer is in DRSO No. 55 (on Functions of Committees on Bills). For good measure, the whole of DRSO No. 55 is reproduced below:

(1) Any Committee to which a Bill is committed before its second reading, may discuss the details of the Bill as well as its merits and principles.

(2) Any other Committee to which a Bill is committed after its second reading shall not debate the principle of the Bill but only its details.

(3) Subject to paragraph (1) and the provisions of Article 67 of the Constitution, any such Committee shall have power to make such amendments therein as it shall think fit, provided that the amendments (including new clauses and new schedules) are relevant to the subject-matter of the Bill: but if any such amendments are not within the title of the Bill, the Committee shall amend the title accordingly, and shall report the same to the House.

The days of "government knows best” are long over.

More than 15 years ago in April 2009, when the then prime minister pronounced that "the era where the government imposed excessive controls and adopted the attitude of ‘government knows best’ is over”, it was the clearest indication that the era was really over.

No prizes for guessing who the prime minister then was.

What say you, Minister?

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.