Cybercrime issues, cost of living and tnb bills among focus of Parliament today
According to the Order of Business on the Parliament portal, Chong Zhemin (PH-Kampar) will ask the Home Minister about the number of cybercrime cases reported throughout 2024 as well as the ministry's steps to improve the level of digital security of the people, during the question-and-answer session.
Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin (PN-Larut) will ask the Finance Minister about the government's strategy to reduce the burden of the people's cost of living following the country's total debt now reaching RM1.5 trillion, in addition to the World Bank's announcement that Malaysia's gross domestic product (GDP) growth for 2025 will fall to 3.9% and the country's situation facing reciprocal tariffs from the United States.
Also expected to attract attention will be the question from Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan (PN-Kota Bharu) who will seek an explanation from the Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister on the changes to the TNB electricity bill structure which no longer uses tiered rates for domestic consumers.
He also will want to know whether the new mechanism would ensure cost fairness, energy efficiency, and maintain concentrated subsidies for the B40 and M40 groups.
In addition, Chong Chieng Jen (PH-Stampin) will also pose a question to the Minister of Communications on whether social media such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Xiaohongshu which publish advertisements about various scams and fraudulent investment schemes are held accountable to the victims of scams and fraudulent schemes through the said platforms.
After the question-and-answer session, the session will continue with the tabling of the Offenders Compulsory Attendance (Amendment) Bill 2025 and Fisheries (Amendment) Bill 2025, respectively for first reading.
The Second Meeting of the Fourth Session of the 15th Parliament is scheduled to last 24 days, and among the focus is the tabling of the 13th Malaysia Plan on July 31. - Bernama
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Borneo Post
42 minutes ago
- Borneo Post
A political move that backfired
The Parliament of Malaysia – the only place where an incumbent Prime Minister may legally be voted out of office. — Bernama photo MANY Malaysian politicians are being innovative for the wrong reason. In Peninsular Malaysia, for instance, within the past 10 years, they have made political moves in order to acquire power and authority fast by devising stratagems such as 'tebuk atap' (by punching a hole in the roof) or 'masuk pintu belakang' (back-door entry). To make their schemes look like being constitutional, they used the Statutory Declaration to influence the legislators. Legislators were made to swear on a piece of paper to support the appointment of the candidate for premiership, cocksure that the King would agree to their proposal without question. Another device On July 26 this year, a new device for toppling an elected government was tried out. Opposition politicians used a gathering of thousands of party supporters at one spot in Kuala Lumpur and regarded the size of the crowd, real or bloated manifolds, as the sole criterion with which to convince the public at large and, in particular the supporters of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, should step down as Prime Minister without delay. However, one glaring flaw of this version of a coup d'état was that the organisers were not able to name a member of Parliament as the PM-designate during the rally, or soon after. It did not look like they had agreed beforehand that one MP from their group would be their nominee for the post. It has been a week now since the 'Turun Anwar' rally was held. At the time of writing this article, there has been no inkling that the incumbent PM has planned to call a press conference during which he would announce his resignation. Then one is tempted to wonder if the rally of 500,000 participants (some estimates say only 18,000 at most), had really achieved what its organisers had planned. To me, it begins to look like that this stratagem of mob rule has been counter-productive or ineffective in terms of forcing the incumbent Prime Minister to throw in the towels. Anwar's opponents have made him a martyr! Political crisis? Seeing in the social media and hearing from friends in Kuala Lumpur about the political fights for hegemony among the Malay politicians, many people in Sarawak I talked to are concerned about the eruption of a political crisis, and consequentially, of the possible side-effects of the political rifts in the peninsula. Those Sarawakians supporting the Unity Government and acknowledging the leadership of PM Anwar as the Chief Executive of the Unity Government, have a stake in that government. Resignation of the Prime Minister may be followed by the resignations of the other members of his Cabinet. The prospects of a full-blown political crisis are real; such crisis at this juncture will do more harm than good to the Federation. The Sarawakians in the Cabinet, in the Senate and in Parliament (as ordinary back–benchers) are from a coalition of parties, which had enabled the formation of the Unity Government a couple of years ago. I don't think they would undo what they had helped build. Instead, I think they would like to continue serving under it until the end of its term. There is law governing the elections of legislators and the appointment of the Prime Minister. Why ignore all these? Should the Federal Government collapse consequent upon the loss of the majority of seats in Parliament, the parliamentarians from the coalition parties, including Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) would be in a real dilemma. Either they join the government formed by the Opposition MPs, or they turn themselves into Opposition. That would be awkward for Sarawakians. Either way, a political vacuum will be created, and that is a perfect recipe for a full-scale political problem, which we can do without. At the risk of repeating myself, I say that any political group aiming to rule this country via the public rallies to unseat the incumbent head of the government and using any scheme other than the process of elections carried out according to the relevant law, would deserve to be censored by all peace-loving people in this country. These Opposition politicians would have deserved some respectability had they done the decent thing: proposing the motion of 'No Confidence' in Anwar's leadership as the Prime Minister at the right venue: the Parliament. There, they can 'tear' him to pieces and pile heaps of the wrongdoings that the PM has allegedly done – or imagined to have done. Instead, they resorted to mass psychology now backfiring. The result: they have made Anwar a martyr! Watching all this from Borneo, it seems to me that the organisers of that rally in Kuala Lumpur did not respect the feelings of the other Malaysians, many in Peninsular Malaysia, and many more in the Borneo states. How or what they think, or how they feel about the possibility of a serious political crisis, does not seem to matter to the rally organisers. To me, such attitude is un-Malaysian! One thing that the July 26 rally organisers should have anticipated was that the supporters of the Prime Minister could also organise rallies of their own, saying: 'What they can do, we can do better!' They have the means with which to reach their supporters and the public for support by exerting influence on the main official mass media and their cyber-troopers are ready to do battle. In terms of psychological warfare, during the Communist insurgency in Malaya, the governing authorities were always in a better position than that of the guerrillas. Our rally organisers ought to learn from history. Smart, the Anwar supporters have not resorted to holding rallies of their own. No need for these. The opponents of your Boss have made him a martyr! Do they not realise that the other Malaysians in the Boneo states are watching the intense politicking there with a growing concern? I note that this political rivalry in the early days of Malaysia and now, after so many years in Malaysia, the rivalry is still as intense as it was 60 years ago. What's happening, and why? The intense competition for political hegemony in Peninsular Malaysia does not bode well for the Malaysians in the Borneo states. Please stop me from elaborating. Before I finish this, I saw something disgusting on social media: the scene of an image that resembled Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, being flogged in public! I think that any group of politicians aspiring to rule the Federation in the future and using this method of punishment, can forget about looking at Sarawak for help to form a federal government. To describe the act as being 'inhuman' is almost generous! * The opinions expressed in this article are the columnist's own and do not reflect the view of the newspaper. malaysia politics Sarawak tebuk atap
New Straits Times
10 hours ago
- New Straits Times
13MP: Turning ambition into action
The tabling of the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) in Parliament on Thursday marks a significant milestone in charting the nation's medium-term development course. As Malaysia stands at a crucial juncture amidst global economic uncertainty, technological transformation, climate change, and demographic shifts, the 13MP presents an opportunity to reset priorities, build resilience, and steer the nation toward sustainable and inclusive growth. In general, the plan must be commended for its intent to address critical national challenges such as income inequality, digital transformation, green economy transition, and institutional reform. Its success, however, will depend not just on ambition but on discipline, transparency, and effective execution at every level of government and society. To ensure the effective implementation of the 13MP, the following aspects must be given focused follow-up: Monitoring and evaluation A robust and transparent monitoring mechanism must be put in place to track the progress of key targets. Regular public reporting and performance audits will help ensure accountability and course correction when needed. Inter-agency coordination Strong coordination across federal, state, and local government agencies is essential. Ministries and departments must work in synergy, not in silos, to avoid delays and inefficiencies. Stakeholder engagement Engagement with civil society, private sector, and local communities must continue beyond the planning stage. Implementation must be inclusive and reflective of on-the-ground realities. Resource allocation and budget discipline The success of the Plan hinges on proper financing and fiscal responsibility. Development expenditure must be prioritised based on impact, equity, and sustainability, with a focus on reducing leakages and wastage. Capacity building and institutional reform Public service delivery needs to be enhanced through capacity building and governance reform. Institutions must be empowered and depoliticised to deliver effectively and with integrity. Flexibility and adaptability The government must be prepared to adapt the Plan to evolving circumstances, including global shocks or domestic shifts. A rigid implementation would risk making the Plan obsolete in a fast-changing world. As a nation, we must treat the 13MP not just as a policy document, but as a shared national commitment. All stakeholders—government, private sector, civil society, and citizens—must work together to ensure its goals are translated into real and measurable outcomes that improve the quality of life for all Malaysians.
The Sun
11 hours ago
- The Sun
Johor to study Singapore's hawker centre model
JOHOR BAHRU: The Johor government will study the management model of wet markets and hawker centres at Geylang Serai Market & Food Centre managed by Singapore's National Environment Agency (NEA) with a view to be adapted in the state. Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi said the delegation's visit to the centre provided Johor with an opportunity to closely examine the hawker centre management model that is organised, clean and inclusive. He said the two-storey complex, which houses 302 wet market lots and 63 halal food stalls, serves as an important community centre and a symbol of the cultural heritage of the Malay community in Singapore. 'Among the interesting aspects are controlled rental rates to ensure reasonable food prices to ensure affordable food prices for consumers. 'It is also equipped with a strict hygiene grading system, mandatory training for food operators, as well as enforcement through technology such as closed-circuit television (CCTV), an e-fine system and the use of smart sensors (IoT) for sanitation and crowd monitoring. 'In addition, NEA also manages this centre through a social enterprise model, which is a non-profit operator focused on empowering small traders and maintaining social balance,' he said in a post uploaded on his Facebook page. In this regard, Onn Hafiz said the approach by NEA is considered highly relevant to be studied and adapted in Johor, especially in efforts to transform the management of public markets and hawker centres to be more efficient, sustainable and supportive of the people's economy, especially micro-traders, B40 and small business owners. He stressed that the state government would continue to be committed to studying and translating such best practices into local policies. 'Our goal is to strengthen the community's economic sector through more organised, clean and user-friendly facilities for the well-being of the people and the inclusive development of the state,' he said. - Bernama
