Green Papers, White Papers and Parliamentary Select Committees to deliver meaningful reforms in 2026
The year 2026 is by and large the fourth year of the 15th Parliament which started on December 19, 2022 and of the Madani Government which started on November 24, 2022. This leaves Malaysia less than 24 months to achieve whatever institutional reforms in the 15th Parliament and the Madani Government even if they serve their full term till December 18, 2027.
Unfortunately, reforms have often become subject of intensive fearmongering, smearing, and even ethno-religious demonisation that many reforms are either abandoned or watered down, when reasonable win-win solutions could have been sought.
Abandoning reforms do not only cause the public to distrust parties and political leaders currently in power. It would likely also hurt the Opposition party and political leaders when they come into power next and encounter stronger public demands for reforms.
In this age of social media, separate closed-door consultations between the government and different stakeholders in solo – the current practice – cannot effectively shield the government and the intended reform from populist and cynical attacks, some of which may even originate from overseas.
Any backtrack under attack by the Government would not only weaken its authority, but it might bury the reform for decades and further fuel public frustration.
In 2026, we urge the Madani Federal Government to adopt a bold strategy of public engagement, getting proponents of a reform to talk to its opponents and by-standers, for every concerned individual and group to take ownership of the reform, instead of blaming the Government for doing too little or too much.
For each reform that a broad national consensus has yet to be built, the Government can facilitate public and cross-partisan deliberation with some of these instruments:
● Green paper, in which the government lays out potential options without committing to any;
● White paper, in which the government explains its favoured reform proposal to invite public responses); and
● Parliamentary select committee, in which the draft bill or policy is finetuned before being put to vote by Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara.
In 2026, we look forward for the completion or commencement of these 10 reforms with the meaningful instrument of public and cross-partisan deliberation:
Select Committee (before tabling of bill)
● A 10-year Term Limit for Prime Minister, necessitating an amendment to Article 43 of the Federal Constitution
● Reform of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act, to enable parliamentary oversight in the nomination of the MACC Chief Commissioner and via an annual report by the MACC for parliamentary debate; and
● Reform of the Election Commission (EC), necessitating an amendment to Articles 113-114 of the Federal Constitution, to enable parliamentary oversight in the nomination of the seven Election Commissioners and via an annual report by the EC for parliamentary debate.
These may be assigned to a new purpose-built special (ad-hoc) select committee or the Parliamentary Standing Select Committee on Human Rights, Elections and Institutional Reforms.
White Paper (before tabling of bill)
- The separation of Attorney General (AG) and Public Prosecutor (PP), necessitating amendment to Article 145 of the Federal Constitution, after extensive research and consultations undertaken by the Prime Minister’s Legal Affairs Bureau (BHEUU);
- The Political Financing Act with a component of public funding, after much research and consultations led by BHEUU and the preparation of a draft bill by the All Parties Parliamentary Group Malaysia (APPGM) on Political Financing since 2024;
While stakeholder and expert consultations have been carried out on the above matters, the public and all parliamentarians deserve to know the Government’s proposal before any bill to be bulldozed through Parliament.
Green Paper (before formulation of any policy or legal changes)
- The need and viability of absentee voting facility – which can be postal voting, distant early voting or in other forms – for voters in Sarawak, Sabah and Labuan, and the Peninsula who have to be away from their region on polling day;
- The demand for, desirability of and proposal for the expansion of Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara seats and their allocation to Sarawak, Sabah, 11 Peninsular States and the three Federal Territories;
- The equitable allocation of Constituency Development Fund (CDF) for all elected representatives regardless of party affiliation at both the Federal and State levels;
- Attaining minimum 30% women representation for Dewan Rakyat and the 13 State Legislatures via innovations in the electoral process, electoral system or public funding; and
- Democratic representation and elected government for the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya.
Green papers mean that the Government does not commit itself to any proposal or position but facilitate public deliberation by structuring the debate to a few viable options for benefit and cost considerations. This is useful to advance reforms without imposing any solution before a broad-based consensus merges.
Looking back, we register our appreciation for the Madani Government and the support of all parliamentarians from various parties on the attainment of the following institutional and legal reforms since November 2022:
- the Abolition of Mandatory Death Penalty Act 2023, in force since July 4, 2023;
- the Public Finance and Fiscal Responsibility Act 2023, in force since January 1, 2024;
- the amendment of Articles 15, 15A and 26 and the Second Schedule of the Federal Constitution, primarily to expand citizenship to overseas-born children of Malaysian mothers, passed by Dewan Rakyat on October 17, 2024, yet to come in force;
- the Malaysian Media Council Act 2025, in force since June 14, 2025;
- the Parliamentary Service Act 2025 and the amendment of Articles 56-57 of the Federal Constitution – granted royal assent on July 9, 2025, yet to be implemented; and
- the strengthening of parliamentary select committees by making these ministry-focused committees permanent and expanding the maximum membership of each committee from nine to 12, with the amendment of the Dewan Rakyat Standing Order on August 12, 2025.
Endorsed by:
1. Project Stability and Accountability for Malaysia (Projek SAMA)
2. Agora Society Malaysia
3. All Women’s Action Society (AWAM)
4. Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (ABIM)
5. Bait Al Amanah
6. Borneo Komrad
7. Buku Jalanan Chow Kit
8. Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ)
9. Citizens Against Enforced Disappearances (CAGED)
10.Community Action Nexus Berhad
11. Dewan Perhimpunan China Melaka 马六甲华人大会堂
12.Dewan Perhimpunan Cina Negeri Sembilan 森美兰华人大会堂
13.DUROA Zone B1
14.ENGAGE
15.Family Frontiers
16.Federasi Pemuda Kebangsaan
17.Friends of Bukit Kiara
18.Gabungan Darurat Iklim Malaysia
19.Gerakan Belia Sepunjabi Malaysia (GBSM)
20.Global Bersih
21.Ikatan Anak Muda Tawau – IKAT
22.IMAN Research
23.Institute for Research & Development of Policy
24.Kemban Kolektif
25.Lawyer Kamek
26.Liga Rakyat Demokratik
27.LLG Cultural Development Centre 林连玉基金
28.MANDIRI
29.Martabat Untuk Semua Petaling Jaya
30.Movement for Change, Sarawak (MoCS)
31.Muslim Professionals Forum (MPF）
32.National Human Rights Society of Malaysia (HAKAM)
33.PACOS Trust
34.Penang Women Development Corporation (PWDC)
35.Pergerakan Orang Wanita. Empowerment and Revolution (POW.ER)
36.Persatuan Aliran Kesedaran Negara (Aliran)
37.Persatuan Bertindak Pilihan Raya Bebas Dan Saksama (Tindak)
38.Persatuan Kebajikan Kelestarian Komuniti Kuala Lumpur / Kuala Lumpur Residents Action for Sustainable Development Association (KLRA+SD) 39.Persatuan Pemangkin Daya Masyarakat (ROSE) Sarawak
40.Persatuan Rimba Komuniti Shah Alam
41.Pertubuhan Solidaritas
42.PurpleLily
43.Pusat Kommuniti Masyarakat (KOMAS)
44.Rasuah Buster
45.Sabah Action Body Advocating Rights (SABAR)
46.Sabah Entitlement & Equity Now (SEEN Org)
47.Sabah Youth Movement
48.Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia (SABM)
49.Selamatkan Kuala Lumpur
50.SIS Forum (Malaysia)
51.Society of Entrepreneurial Educational Development
52.Suara Mahasiswa UMS
53.Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM)
54.Sustainable Petaling Jaya Association
55.Tenaganita
56.The Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (BERSIH)
57.The Federation of Chinese Associations, Johore State 柔佛州中华总会
58.The Institute For Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS)
59.The Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCAH) 吉隆坡暨雪兰莪华人大会堂
60.The Sarawak Initiatives
61.Undi18
62.United Chinese School Committees’ Association of Malaysia (Dong Zong) 董总
63.Vokal Sejiwa
64.Women’s Centre for Change, Penang (WCC)
