She said the study carried out by the legal affairs division at the Prime Minister’s Department included an impact study that also took into account the results of engagement sessions with stakeholders and the public regarding the introduction of the act.

“The findings of this comprehensive study will be used for policy considerations by the Cabinet later,” she said in a written reply on the Parliament’s website yesterday.

Azalina was responding to a question from RSN Rayer (PH-Jelutong) on whether the government plans to enact a Fixed-term Parliament Act to prevent party-hopping which he said could undermine political stability in Malaysia.

She said many countries have fixed-term Parliaments with an agreed timeline for elections in order to ensure political and economic stability and to prevent attempts to seize power that would harm the country’s parliamentary democratic system.

Azalina said a fixed-term Parliament could also ensure that all reform agendas and policies are implemented without interruption.

“Malaysia has a fixed term for Parliament which is five years as provided for under Article 55(3) of the Federal Constitution.

“However, the prime minister has the discretion to ask the King to approve the dissolution of Parliament before the end of the five-year period at any time for any reason, if His Majesty also agrees,” she said.

In a separate answer on the government’s challenges in examining the proposed act, Azalina said none had yet been identified since it was still at the detailed study stage.

She was responding to a question from Hasni Mohammad (BN-Simpang Renggam), who asked about the government’s challenges in examining the proposed act in order to strengthen the country’s constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy.