GEORGE TOWN: Parliament has gained greater administrative and operational autonomy with the Parliamentary Services Act 2025 (Act 869) taking effect on Thursday (Oct 1), says Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin.
He said the move was significant for Malaysia’s institutional reform as Parliament would now be more independent from executive control.
Act 869 establishes a dedicated parliamentary service, allowing Parliament to manage its administration, human resources and affairs independently of the public service system.
Sim said this would strengthen Parliament’s ability to carry out its role of providing checks and balances to the executive.
"Parliament had previously been subject to executive control over matters such as administration and the transfer of staff.
"So sometimes, it (did not have the) independence for checks and balances on the executive.
"One of the institutional reforms we wanted to carry out is to separate Parliament from executive control," he told reporters after launching the Malaysia Smart Manufacturing Awards 2027 at a hotel here on Friday (Oct 2).
Sim said the institutional reform is significant in terms of long-term democracy in Malaysia.
"If there is major corruption or abuse of power, Parliament actually has the strength to check the executive," he said.
Act 869 was passed by the Dewan Rakyat and then the Dewan Negara in March last year before receiving royal assent in July that year.
The previous Parliamentary Services Act 1963 was repealed in 1992, meaning the new law restores a dedicated parliamentary service after more than three decades.
