The two Deputy Speakers of the House of Representatives, lawyer and MP Malik Al-Tahrawi and MP Dr. Rania Abu Rumman, stressed the importance of strengthening the House’s legislative and oversight roles and amending its internal bylaws in line with the political modernisation process. They also highlighted the need to reinforce party-based and parliamentary bloc work, alongside reviewing legislation and procedures related to combating terrorism and extremism.
اضافة اعلان
Speaking on the Al Mamlaka TV programme Under the Dome of Parliament, Al-Tahrawi and Abu Rumman said the House’s Permanent Bureau, headed by Dr. Ibrahim Al-Tarawneh, is adopting an institutional and participatory approach based on collective work, respect for differing opinions, and involving parliamentary blocs and independent MPs in discussions on matters related to the House’s work. This approach, they said, aims to improve parliamentary performance and serve the national interest.
Al-Tahrawi said amending the House’s internal bylaws is a priority at the current stage to bring them into line with political modernisation, strengthen party and parliamentary bloc work, and expand the role of parliamentary blocs in carrying out their legislative and oversight responsibilities.
He explained that the current bylaws grant individual MPs broader powers than those given to parliamentary blocs, making it necessary to review their provisions to strengthen institutional work, enable blocs to play a more effective role, and allow them to express their positions collectively.
He added that strengthening the legislative and oversight roles requires developing parliamentary working mechanisms in line with the House’s multi-party and bloc-based structure. He stressed that amending the internal bylaws would be among the Permanent Bureau’s top priorities in the coming period.
Regarding the formation of permanent parliamentary committees, Al-Tahrawi said the preferred approach is to reach an agreement among parliamentary blocs on their composition. If consensus cannot be achieved, elections will be held in accordance with the internal bylaws. He stressed the importance of completing the formation of the committees so they can begin carrying out their legislative and oversight duties.
He also noted that the House faces important legislative commitments, stressing the need to strike a balance between legislative and oversight sessions and to take into account the nature of bills that require urgent consideration, without compromising the House’s oversight role. He pointed to plans to strengthen oversight sessions and organise them more regularly in the coming period.
For her part, Abu Rumman said combating terrorism and extremism requires a comprehensive review of existing legislation and procedures, rather than relying solely on harsher penalties.
She referred to a parliamentary memorandum signed by more than 80 MPs, calling for tougher penalties and the adoption of precautionary measures, in addition to stricter punishment for anyone who interferes with, conceals, or withholds information related to terrorist crimes.
She said the Anti-Terrorism Law provides for penalties including the death sentence and temporary or life imprisonment with hard labour. However, confronting extremist ideology also requires stronger preventive measures, particularly in dealing with individuals convicted of terrorism-related offences after they have completed their sentences.
Abu Rumman added that there are plans to amend relevant legislation to allow preventive measures to be taken before the release of individuals convicted in terrorism cases. These measures would involve a specialised committee comprising the relevant authorities, tasked with assessing whether such individuals continue to embrace extremist ideology and determining the level of risk they may pose to society.
She highlighted the importance of coordination among the Ministry of Interior, administrative governors and security agencies, as well as seeking assistance from specialised bodies to assess cases sufficiently in advance of release. Such coordination, she said, would strengthen preventive measures and help protect society from the dangers of terrorism and extremism.
On the proposed amendments to the House’s internal bylaws, Abu Rumman said they would be among the priorities in the coming period. She noted that she had inquired about the latest developments and was informed that the amendments had reached advanced stages, expressing hope that they would be completed soon.
Al-Tahrawi and Abu Rumman stressed that successful parliamentary work depends on cooperation and integration among members of the Permanent Bureau, parliamentary blocs and independent MPs. They called for building on previous efforts to improve the House’s performance, enable MPs to fulfil their constitutional responsibilities, and place the national interest and citizens’ concerns at the forefront of priorities.
