Ceremony Marks Opening of the 15th Parliament’s Fifth Session in Malaysia

The Fifth Session of Malaysia's 15th Parliament officially launches this Monday, highlighted by a Royal Address from His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, the King of Malaysia, during the inauguration ceremony. His Majesty will speak to both the Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara, emphasizing essential national strategies.

The Royal Address is set to discuss significant issues such as national development, citizen welfare, and economic initiatives in line with the introduction of the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), a comprehensive five-year development framework lasting until 2030.

Viewers can tune in for the live broadcast of the opening ceremony beginning at 10 a.m. on official media channels, local television, and online platforms.

Before the Royal Address at the Dewan Rakyat, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong will review the Royal Guard of Honour from the 1st Battalion of the Royal Malay Regiment located at Sungai Besi Camp.

Attending this important event will be Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Deputy Prime Ministers Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, along with cabinet members and heads of foreign delegations.

As per the official Parliament schedule, the Dewan Rakyat's 20-day session will commence with a Motion of Thanks regarding the Royal Address, followed by a week-long debate starting January 20. The third week, spanning February 4 to 10, will involve closing discussions by relevant ministers. The final week, beginning February 23, will be dedicated to bills and other governmental matters.

There will be no parliamentary sessions on February 2 and 3 to observe Federal Territories Day and Thaipusam, nor from February 16 to 19 for the celebrations of Chinese New Year and early Ramadan.

Following this, the Dewan Negara will convene for 13 sitting days starting February 23.

Among the notable legislative initiatives anticipated during the Dewan Rakyat session are a proposal to limit the Prime Minister's tenure to a maximum of 10 years or two full terms, and a bill aimed at delineating the roles of the Public Prosecutor and the Attorney General. These reforms were initially introduced by the Prime Minister on January 5.

Expect other significant proposals to include the Ombudsman Bill 2025 and the Freedom of Information Bill. Additionally, the session will revisit the second reading of the International Settlement Agreements Resulting from Mediation Bill 2025 and the Urban Renewal Bill 2025, which were previously deferred.