Seed Community for Professional Parliament (SC4PP), representing several groups including electoral watchdog Bersih and think tank IDEAS, said there is no urgency to rush the two bills through their second and third readings without wider and deeper deliberation.

“While the government now has a two-thirds majority – 153 out of 222 MPs after adding the Bersatu defectors – to pass any bill, including those involving constitutional amendments, Anwar should exercise restraint in employing his parliamentary supermajority.

“Deliberation and consensus are values upheld in Islam and other civilisations.

“More deliberation would not weaken good laws, but can avoid unintended consequences in hastily drafted laws that ignore dissident opinions,” it said in a statement.

The Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2024 and the Mufti (Federal Territories) Bill 2024 have faced considerable opposition.

The proposed amendments on citizenship have been criticised by many, especially those from Sabah and Sarawak, who say they could worsen matters for stateless people, while the mufti bill has been panned as giving unchecked power to religious authorities.

SC4PP said referring the bills to PSSCs would show Anwar’s “genuine commitment to democracy and good governance” and demonstrate whether he seeks to build national consensus to govern a diverse society, or “is just another strongman”.

“We call upon all MPs – government backbenchers and opposition members – to push to refer these two bills to PSSCs so that more voices can be heard and taken into account.

“They must boldly preserve national unity and social harmony by pressing for more deliberation and consensus,” it said.