KUALA LUMPUR: Every resolution passed at the Asean Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) will be brought back by delegates to be discussed and potentially adopted in their respective national assemblies, said AIPA president Tan Sri Johari Abdul.
Johari, who is also Dewan Rakyat Speaker, said this process ensured that parliamentary voices across Asean were aligned on key issues, creating momentum for governments to act in concert.
“For example, in Malaysia, we have 10 special select committees and various caucuses. Once resolutions are passed here, delegates will bring them back for deliberation in these committees or caucuses.
“This becomes the driver for parliaments to carry the issues forward. While enacting laws takes time, the thinking process begins immediately — and it is happening not just in Malaysia but across Asean,” he said at a press conference after the 46th AIPA General Assembly here today.
Johari added that this collective approach helped governments by ensuring that parliaments across the region were already aligned.
“If we are talking about issue A in Malaysia, other countries are also discussing issue A. If we are on issue B, the same applies elsewhere. That is the value of resolutions adopted at AIPA — they create common ground.
“Without Asean and AIPA, discussions in one parliament might upset neighbouring countries. But here, mutual understanding is already built in,” he said.
He said this parliamentary cooperation strengthened regional policymaking and ultimately ensured that the 700 million people of Asean benefited from the assembly’s work.
Meanwhile, outgoing AIPA secretary-general Siti Rozaimeriyanty Datuk Abdul Rahman said since 2017, AIPA had established a caucus to monitor the progress of resolutions adopted by the assembly.
She said the caucus meets annually, with member parliaments reporting on their respective progress in implementing resolutions.
“As of now, there are 1,071 resolutions on record, and with the addition of 42 resolutions from this assembly, these will continue to be developed and made accessible so that people can understand the real purpose of AIPA.
“From 2017 onwards, we have found that around 90 per cent of resolutions have been implemented. This shows that monitoring between AIPA and its members is very clear,” she said.
She added that resolutions represent the voices of the people, and as parliaments, members of AIPA must ensure that the issues discussed translate into action across Asean.
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