Kuala lumpur: The fifth week of the Dewan Rakyat sitting culminated in the passing of the 13th Malaysia Plan (MP13), marking a significant milestone in the country's development strategy for the years 2026 to 2030.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the MP13 was successfully passed following an extensive four-day winding-up session by various ministries. This session followed an eight-day debate that began on August 4, involving 161 Members of Parliament. During these discussions, ministers addressed several pressing issues, including the tragic death of Form One student Zara Qairina Mahathir and the rebranding project of the Pilgrims Fund Board (Lembaga Tabung Haji - TH).
In a noteworthy development, Home Ministry Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail highlighted that the Zara Qairina case was the first to be prosecuted under Section 507C(1) of the Penal Code (Amendment) Act 2025, pertaining to bullying. He emphasized the amendments to sections 507B to 507G of the Penal Code, which have fortified legal actions against bullying, leading to the opening of 11 investigation papers by the police since the amendments were enforced on July 11.
Additionally, Saifuddin Nasution announced that the police would reopen the investigation into the death of tahfiz student Wan Ahmad Faris Wan Abdul Rahman, suspected to have been murdered at a tahfiz school in Kok Lanas, Kelantan, in December 2013.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs), Datuk Dr Mohd Na'im Mokhtar, outlined that the TH rebranding project would be undertaken by a consortium of four local companies. This consortium, comprising multi-racial professionals, was selected through TH's procurement processes based on its expertise and capability.
Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil expressed concerns about the increasing reliance on social media for information. He urged netizens to verify information to avoid falling prey to misinformation, contrasting it with the ethical standards of mainstream media.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamid highlighted the establishment of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Commission as a pivotal step towards creating a systematic and industry-focused TVET ecosystem.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim clarified that the assistance for the Indian community was being delivered through various ministries rather than solely through the Malaysian Indian Community Transformation Unit (MITRA). Anwar underscored the comprehensive support across education, housing, and business sectors, along with a dedicated annual allocation of RM100 million for MITRA.
The week also saw Pendang Member of Parliament Datuk Awang Hashim being expelled from the chamber for ten days for inciting a commotion and challenging another Member of Parliament to a fight. Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul enforced Rule 44.2 of the Dewan Rakyat Standing Order after reviewing the incident, stressing the inappropriateness of such actions, especially in the presence of student visitors.
Furthermore, four bills were introduced for their first reading, namely the National Registration (Amendment) Bill 2025, the Legal Aid and Public Defence Bill 2025, the Urban Renewal Bill 2025, and the Atomic Energy Licensing (Amendment) Bill 2025.