Each committee comprises nine MPs, but Wong Chin Huat of Sunway University suggested the number be raised to 16.

This would enable a total of 160 MPs to be engaged in oversight matters, in addition to the 14 already on the Public Accounts Committee.

Wong said that at present a total of only 104 MPs serve on committees, leaving 67 otherwise uninvolved.

With elected representatives being paid RM16,000 a month, without counting other allowances, the cost of paying the 67 “underutilised” MPs for eight months when Parliament is in recess could amount to a wastage of RM8.5 million.

“Paying employees without asking them to work is a waste. If we are paying MPs that much, why not rope them in to sit in as many committees as possible?” he told FMT.

However, no MP should sit in more than one parliamentary committee.

Earlier this week, the Dewan Rakyat set up 10 parliamentary committees to deal with: finance and economy; security; health; domestic trade, entrepreneurship, cost of living and agriculture; infrastructure, transport and communications; nation building, ethnicity, education and human resources development; women, family and community development; environment, science and plantations; international relations and international trade; human rights, elections, and institutional reform.

Wong also said parliamentary committees in charge of critical ministries such as health, education, defence, home affairs, environment, and climate change should be made permanent for “institutional continuity”.

He also urged Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to provide more resources to Parliament to establish as many committees as necessary. “A lively and fully operational Parliament would promote political stability as opposition MPs enhance their expertise and reduce their populist ideas,” he said.

Electoral reform group Bersih said that if raising the number of MPs in committees was impossible, then more committees should be created, by breaking up some to reduce the ministries to be monitored by each committee.

“Create more focused committees,” the group said in a statement.

Parliamentary specialist Maha Balakrishnan said the new committees were now empowered to inquire into matters without the consent of the relevant minister. They have the power to review bills and petitions, and investigate any matters within their policy area.

With the new guidelines, Maha said the committees would be able to operate in a more structured and professional manner. “Those who are called to appear before committees can be confident that their rights and interests will be protected,” she told FMT.