Extend term of senators, panel urged
Vigneswaran: Those who serve for three years not eligible for full pension
KUALA LUMPUR: Dewan Negara president Tan Sri S. A. Vigneswaran has asked the Senate reform committee to look into extending the length of the senators’ term.
At present, senators are appointed for a three-year term, with a likelihood of another three-year extension.
He said that senators who served a threeyear term would not be eligible for a full pension.
“If the three-year term is not increased, then you YBs won’t get full pension,” he said in his speech at the Dewan Negara reform roundtable discussion in Parliament House yesterday.
Vigneswaran said if the senators’ term is increased to five years and guaranteed a pension, then they would be more encouraged to voice up on issues and it would also help boost their independence as senators.
He also proposed that state appointment quotas for senators be increased from two to three per state.
He cited legal expert Assoc Prof Dr Shamrahayu A. Aziz who spoke about the importance of increasing the number of senators in the Dewan Negara.
He said Prof Shamrahayu was of the opinion that increasing the number of members from the states should be given proper consideration in the interest of the states.
This is in line with the aspirations of the formation of the Dewan Negara, which is to uphold the states’ interests, he added.
“It is important for the number of senators in states to be looked into, so that the ‘voice’ of a state is strengthened and issues of public interest will be given attention at the national level,” said Vigneswaran.