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Keng Yaik should end his contemptuous attitude towards Parliament regarding it as a mere “rubber-stamp” for his two water bills, refusing to honour the government undertaking to fully consult with Parliamentarians through the formation of a Parliamentary Select Committee on water federalization and privatisation Media Statement by Lim Kit Siang (Parliament, Wednesday): The Minister for Energy, Water and Communications Datuk Seri Dr. Lim Keng Yaik should end his contemptuous attitude towards Parliament regarding it as a mere “rubber-stamp” for his two water bills, refusing to honour the government undertaking to fully consult with Parliamentarians through the formation of a Parliamentary Select Committee on water federalization and privatization. The Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Nazri Aziz confirmed in Parliament yesterday that following pressure from MPs from both sides of the House during the special parliamentary meeting on January 17 and 18, 2005 on the Constitution Amendment Bill 2004 on water federalization and privatization, Keng Yaik brought to Cabinet the next day, i.e. January 19, 2005, the parliamentary proposal and secured approval for the establishment of a Parliamentary Select Committee on water federalization and privatization and the two water bills, the Water Services Industry Bill and the National Water Services Commission Bill.
The Cabinet decision to approve the establishment of a Parliamentary Select Committee on water federalization and privatization was announced by Nazri after the Cabinet meeting the same day. Nazri said the Parliamentary Select Committee would be headed by Keng Yaik and will comprise six other MPs, with two members from the Opposition, one each from DAP and PAS, and that it would have three to six months with which to gather public feedback and present its report to Parliament, so that the two water bills could be passed by the end of the year.
However two months later, without public knowledge or parliamentary consultation, Keng Yaik went back to the Cabinet on March 16 and secured Cabinet approval to rescind its January 19 decision on the establishment of a Parliamentary Select Committee on water federalization and privatization.
Up to now, no credible or acceptable reason had been given by Keng Yaik for his volte face and the reneging of his undertaking to Parliamentarians.
When I asked in Parliament yesterday for the reason for the volte face by Keng Yaik and the Cabinet on the Parliamentary Select Committee on water federalization and privatization, Nazri claimed that this is to fulfil the King’s wishes as expressed in his Royal Address to Parliament to have the issue resolved by the end of the year.
This is the lamest of all lame excuses, for two reasons:
Firstly, the King’s Royal Address was made at the official opening of Parliament on March 21, five days after the Cabinet decision on March 16 to approve Keng Yaik’s volte face to rescind its January 19 decision on the establishment of a Parliamentary Select Committee on water federalization and privatization.
Secondly, it is most irresponsible for a Cabinet Minister to try to drag the King into a public controversy, as the Royal Address of the King is the policy pronouncement of the government of the day, and any change or criticism of the Royal Address is no personal reflection on the King but legitimate and democratic responses to government policies and stances.
When the government has to try to drag in the King, which is most improper and disrespectful to the constitutional monarch, to justify the volte face of a Minister or the Cabinet on any policy issue or question, it only highlights the great weakness of the government case for reversing its earlier decision to approve the establishment of a Parliamentary Select Committee.
It is clear that Members of Parliament, whether government or opposition, do not want Keng Yaik to treat Parliament as a “rubber stamp” just to approve his two water bills, but want a meaningful role in the decision-making process on water federalization and privatization, and the Cabinet should fully respect Parliament’s legitimate wishes by reverting to its original decision on January 19 to establish a Parliamentary Select Committee on water federalization and privatization.
Such a Parliamentary Select Committee should allow for a meaningful consultative process and the formation of a parliamentary as distinct from an executive perspective on the issue of water federalization and privatization, which is a strong reason why the Parliamentary Select Committee should not be headed by the Minister for Energy, Water and Communications, or even his Deputy Minister, but by a senior MP so that the Ministry would not be seen to be exercising undue and improper influence on the deliberations and decisions of the Parliamentary Select Committee.
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