KUALA LUMPUR, July 16 — The final day of the current Dewan Rakyat session is set to confront several hot-button national issues. Lawmakers are gathering to address crucial strategies regarding extreme weather alerts, safety breaches in armed forces training, and expanding ideological interventions.

According to the official Order Paper released by the august House, the definitive ministerial question phase will see Bakti Jamaluddin (BN-Tangga Batu) step forward with urgent climate concerns. The lawmaker plans to ask the Agriculture and Food Security Minister to state the government’s preparations to face the El Nino phenomenon, which is expected to affect the country’s agricultural sector and food security.

The query will dive deeper into targeted agricultural defenses. Bakti will specifically demand to know structural measures to address irrigation water supply, padi and food crop production, livestock needs, as well as efforts to ensure sufficient national food supplies.

The security landscape will also undergo rigorous parliamentary check-ins. Datuk Mohd Isam Mohd Isa (BN-Tampin) is listed to query the Defence Minister regarding a recent explosive mishap inside a military installation. The Member of Parliament wants clear answers on the cause of the recent hand grenade explosion during an ATM training exercise and the ministry’s immediate measures to strengthen training safety standard operating procedures (SOPs) to prevent similar incidents from recurring.

Concurrently, municipal transparency will take center stage. Tan Kok Wai (PH-Cheras) intends to press the Prime Minister to outline the governance and administrative reforms to be implemented by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) following the Feasibility Study of the Federal Capital Act 1960 (Act 190), including reforms involving administration, governance, integrity and service delivery.

During the later Question Time, the focus will turn toward social and religious harmony. Sabri Aziz (PN-Jerai) is scheduled to ask about the challenges faced by the government in tackling the spread of deviant teachings in Malaysia and the intervention measures being implemented to strengthen the faith of those who have strayed from the true teachings of Islam.

Public healthcare policies will also be thoroughly scrutinized by lawmakers today. Datuk Dr Richard Rapu (GPS-Betong) will ask the Health Minister for the latest statistics on the conditions between 2024 and 2026, particularly the increase in diabetes and hypertension cases among those aged below 30. Furthermore, he will seek details on the effectiveness of the War on Sugar campaign and enforcement of the sugar tax in reducing the national obesity rate.

Before wrapping up the productive legislative period, the Finance Minister will officially introduce a vital economic framework. The administrative session includes the tabling of the National Trust Fund Bill 2026 for its second reading. This extensive legislative slate concludes the Second Meeting of the Fifth Session of the 15th Parliament, which has run for a total of 16 days.

-NMT

Tags: Dewan Rakyat