FEDERAL ALLOCATIONS AMONG HIGHLIGHTS OF DEWAN RAKYAT’S SECOND WEEK
KUALA LUMPUR, July 3 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s clarification that nearly all states receive Federal Government allocations exceeding the tax revenue they contribute was among the highlights of the second week of the Dewan Rakyat sitting.
During the Ministers’ Question Time (MQT) on Tuesday, Anwar said the allocation of funds was based on development needs and public well-being, dismissing claims that certain states were being sidelined or marginalised.
He also explained that any request for additional funding by the state governments for development projects involving a Notice of Change (NOC) must be renegotiated before decisions on additional allocations or loans are made.
In addition, the Prime Minister stressed that announcement of new projects or policies during the election campaign period is not permitted, in line with Section 24B of the Election Offences Act 1954.
The Dewan Rakyat also passed the Sexual Offences Against Children (Amendment) Bill 2026, amendments to the Employment Insurance System (Amendment) Bill 2025, and the Cybercrime Bill 2026, which, among others, provides for offences and penalties related to digital forgery (deepfake) and the dissemination of manipulated intimate images through complex computer systems.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said the government is drafting a new contract law to recognise third-party rights and modernise the framework governing commercial agencies, including taking into account the use of artificial intelligence (AI).
She said the final report on the Study of Contract Law Reform in Malaysia, which includes policy recommendations, comparative analysis and draft legislation, has been completed and presented to Members of Parliament for reference.
Also drawing attention this week was the government’s commitment to ensuring the availability of essential goods, controlling the prices of basic necessities and improving the efficiency of distribution channels to mitigate the impact of rising prices on the public.
Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir said the government conducts daily monitoring of the supply and prices of essential goods, while coordinating efforts with Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas) and industry players to ensure the stability of the country’s energy supply and that the needs of consumers and key economic sectors remain unaffected.
Meanwhile, Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh said the Madani Book Voucher programme 2026 is expected to benefit more than 2.2 million students under the Ministry of Education, with an allocation of RM221.6 million. The redemption of e-vouchers worth RM100 per student began last Wednesday and will run until October 31.
Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said the government is finalising the regulatory framework under the Online Safety Act 2025, including an additional regulatory instrument related to private messaging features to clarify the obligations of digital platforms in addressing harmful content.
He said the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission is also exploring the use of agentic AI technology to improve the efficiency of complaint management and reduce the workload of officers.
At the same time, social media platforms are encouraged to leverage AI technology to detect and remove content that violates community guidelines more quickly.
The current Dewan Rakyat sitting runs for 16 days from June 22 to July 16. — Bernama
Date: 3 July, 2026 10:00 am
Source: Malay Mail
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