Post by : Meena Ariff

The Fifth Session of the 15th Parliament will officially begin this Monday, marked by the Royal Address from His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, the King of Malaysia, at the opening ceremony. His Majesty will deliver the Royal Address to both houses—the Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara—highlighting key national priorities.

The address is expected to cover important topics including national development, public welfare, and economic matters aligned with the launch of the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), a five-year development blueprint spanning from this year until 2030.

The opening ceremony will be broadcast live starting at 10 a.m. on official media channels, local TV, and online platforms.

Prior to the Royal Address at the Dewan Rakyat, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong will inspect a Royal Guard of Honour from the 1st Battalion of the Royal Malay Regiment stationed at Sungai Besi Camp.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Deputy Prime Ministers Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, cabinet members, and foreign delegation heads will also attend the event.

According to the official Parliament calendar, the Dewan Rakyat’s 20-day session will begin with the Motion of Thanks on the Royal Address, followed by a seven-day debate starting January 20. The third week, from February 4 to 10, will feature closing speeches by relevant ministers. The final six days of the session, starting February 23, will focus on bills and other government business.

Parliament will not sit on February 2 and 3 in observance of Federal Territories Day and Thaipusam, nor from February 16 to 19 due to Chinese New Year and early Ramadan celebrations.

The Dewan Negara session will follow with 13 sitting days starting February 23.

Key legislative proposals expected during this Dewan Rakyat session include a bill limiting the Prime Minister’s term to a maximum of 10 years or two full terms, and a bill separating the powers of the Public Prosecutor and the Attorney General. These measures are part of the government’s institutional reforms announced by the Prime Minister on January 5.

Additional bills include the Ombudsman Bill 2025 and the Freedom of Information Bill. The session will also revisit the second reading of the International Settlement Agreements Resulting from Mediation Bill 2025 and the Urban Renewal Bill 2025, which were postponed previously.

#Global News