NILAI: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim stated that the MADANI government has demonstrated its commitment to transparency and accountability by transferring more authority to Parliament.
He highlighted the tabling of the Public Finance and Fiscal Responsibility Bill 2023 as a key example of this devolution of power.
“Which government is willing to hand over its powers to Parliament, among them the Public Finance and Fiscal Responsibility Bill 2023?” he said.
This legislation requires the Finance Minister to present growth projections and a debt reduction plan for parliamentary approval.
“This means if the Finance Minister announces a policy, Parliament approves it, but it cannot be implemented, then the Finance Minister will retable it to ensure that the government’s policy is implemented in a fully responsible manner,” he said.
Anwar made these remarks during the launch of the Negeri Sembilan edition of the Program MADANI Rakyat 2025 at Dataran Nilai.
The event featured the theme “Digital Across Generations, Empowering Communities” and was led by the Digital Ministry in collaboration with the Prime Minister’s Office.
The Public Finance and Fiscal Responsibility Act 2023 officially came into force on 1 January 2024 after being passed by both houses of Parliament in 2023.
Anwar also emphasised the Government Procurement Bill as further evidence of the administration’s dedication to transparent governance.
“The previous government did not dare to do this,” he said.
He explained that all government procurement must follow clear procedures and tender processes, with exceptions only for security matters.
“For example, if we want to purchase radar for security, there must be confidentiality, and that we exempt,” he said.
Anwar concluded that only a strong and courageous government would willingly transfer powers to Parliament to prove its accountability. – Bernama