LocationsIn conjunction with International Day of Parliamentarism today, we look at the role of parliaments in development, reflecting on our longstanding partnership with the Parliament of Malaysia.
The role of Parliament in shaping Malaysia’s development
June 30, 2024
Courtesy call on YB Tan Sri Dato' (Dr.) Johari bin Abdul, Speaker of Parliament, by Mr. Haoliang Xu, UNDP Associate Administrator, in 2024. (Image credit: Parliament of Malaysia)
Parliament of Malaysia
I drive by Parliament House on my way to and from work every day. The building was completed in November 1963 following the formation of Malaysia a few months earlier. In the years between 1957 and 1963 in the context of the legislature of the Federation of Malaya, Parliament sat at what is now known as the Malaysian Tourism Centre (MATIC) in Jalan Ampang. Majestic in its way, Parliament House also embodies the aspirations of a once newly independent, developing country and now, of a confident country in the final strides towards high-income status. As a development practitioner, I reflected on how national institutions can sometimes serve as a manifestation or representation of a country’s identity and values beyond being just an expression of nationhood.
Discussion with YB Tan Sri Dato' Mohamad Ariff bin Md Yusof, Speaker of Parliament, in 2019 (image credit: Parliament of Malaysia)
Parliament of Malaysia
An aggregate of a nation’s aspirations
Parliaments play a crucial role in development. They provide scrutiny by checking (and challenging) the work of the Government (the Executive branch), making and changing laws, debating important issues of the day, and approving national budgets. Members of Parliament are elected in national elections, acting as the voice of the people they directly represent. Parliaments can collectively represent the aspirations of the country by connecting national agendas with the realities of the on-ground situation.
However, in some cases, parliaments lack the capacity and resources to effectively perform their functions. As a result, the role of parliaments in influencing national development agendas, among others, is found lacking, resulting in plans and policies that do not necessarily reflect the reality on the ground and prove ultimately ineffective. The Parliament of Malaysia has evolved its own set of practices in the more than 60 years of its existence. Topics on national agendas (e.g., the quinquennial Malaysia Plans) are often debated, with Standing Committees and Special Select Committees providing specialised roles to further scrutinise development topics.
Courtesy call on YB Tan Sri' Dato' (Dr.) Johari bin Abdul, Speaker of Parliament, in 2023. (Image credit: Parliament of Malaysia)
Parliament of Malaysia
Institutional reforms are key to development
In 2018, following the General Election in May and many new Members of Parliament being elected for the first time, as well as coinciding with a reform agenda on the democratic front, UNDP began its partnership with Parliament. Assistance was provided on possible changes to the Standing Orders and practices of the House and committees, which included draft guides for committee chairpersons, members, and support staff.
Additionally, an assessment of capacity-building approaches to Parliament Secretariat staff was also provided, along with support on several outreach programmes such as Speaker’s lecture series and publications. These initiatives were part of broader reforms to address the core development challenge, which is the need to strengthen the institutional capacity of Parliament and its core functions of oversight, representation, and law-making to foster more inclusive, transparent, and accountable public decision-making processes.
Parliament is set to renew cooperation with UNDP following the success of their partnership from 2019 to 2023. The cooperation will cover the Special Select Committees system in the Dewan Rakyat, as well as institutional strengthening, capacity building, and youth development until 2025. This renewed cooperation also builds on past initiatives on knowledge exchange between UNDP and various Members of Parliament, on topics such as social protection and multidimensional poverty.
Discussion with YB Dato' Indera Mohd Shahar bin Abdullah, Chairperson - Special Select Committee on Finance & Economy, in 2023.
UNDP Malaysia
Partnerships for Development
In an Upper Middle-Income Country (UMIC) context such as Malaysia, the role of development actors such as UNDP differs from those in lower-income country contexts. In UMICs, institutional upgrading can enhance state capacity to carry out development initiatives to propel the country to high-income status. Given the already high level of institutional capacities in Malaysian institutions, including Parliament, UNDP’s assistance is mostly focused on bringing lessons learned from best practices abroad and promoting technical exchanges.
Additionally, in a UMIC such as Malaysia, the mechanism of development cooperation between development actors present in the country remains very inclusive. In fully reflecting the spirit of cooperation, both the past and upcoming parliament projects are funded by the Government of Malaysia and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), Australia. The project was also undertaken in full coordination with other non-government organisations.
In conclusion
UNDP has been fortunate to be involved with the various stakeholders in Malaysia in parliament’s reform process. Documenting these can also serve to explain the processes and serve as a catalyst for future reforms. UNDP will continue to work together with stakeholders on governance reforms, supporting in the form of best practices, innovation, and capacity building.