NASC, Malaysian Parliament Exchange Insights on Strengthening Parliamentary Administration

The National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) and the Parliament of Malaysia have exchanged ideas aimed at enhancing parliamentary administration through institutional collaboration and knowledge sharing.

This was contained in a statement issued by Emmanuel N. Anyigor, DD, Information/Spokesperson, NASC.

The Executive Chairman of the NASC, Chief Saviour Enyiekere, led a high-powered delegation comprising Honourable Commissioners, Chairmen of the Senate Committee on Establishment and Public Service, the House Committee on Public Service Matters, and senior management staff of the Commission on a parliamentary study visit to the Parliament of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur.

The engagement provided a platform for both institutions to share experiences on effective legislative management, human resource development, and innovation in parliamentary procedures.

In his opening remarks, Chief Enyiekere explained that the visit was part of the Commission’s efforts to benchmark international best practices and enhance service delivery within Nigeria’s legislative bureaucracy.

> “We believe that exposure to global standards in parliamentary administration will not only improve the capacity of our staff but also strengthen the institutional framework of the National Assembly,” Enyiekere stated.

He commended the Malaysian Parliament for its warm reception and cordiality towards the Nigerian delegation, noting that Nigeria and Malaysia share long-standing bilateral relations and similar positions on many international issues.

The Chief Administrator of the Malaysian Parliament, Dato Ahmad Hussaini bin Abdul Rahman—represented by Amisyahrizan bin Amir Khan, Head of the Management Division of the House of Representatives—welcomed the NASC team and commended Nigeria’s commitment to continuous institutional growth. He emphasized that the visit would deepen inter-parliamentary cooperation between the two Commonwealth nations.

> “Inter-parliamentary cooperation is key to the growth of democratic governance. Malaysia and Nigeria share a common goal of strengthening the legislature as a pillar of democracy,” he said.

Beyond the opening ceremony, the NASC delegation participated in technical sessions with various departments of the Malaysian Parliament to understudy their systems of human resource management, records administration, staff welfare, legislative research, and general administrative procedures.

During the interactive sessions, it was observed that both institutions share similarities in legislative manpower management. The Malaysian Parliament recently enacted a law to establish a Parliamentary Service Board, which—like Nigeria’s NASC—will serve as the statutory body overseeing parliamentary staff. The board, it was revealed, will be constituted soon.

Additionally, the Malaysian Parliament operates an advanced retirement preparation policy, under which officers undergo a series of transition training programmes two years before retirement to help them move seamlessly from public service to private enterprise.

As part of the study visit, the Nigerian delegation was conducted on a guided tour of the Malaysian Parliament. They visited the state-of-the-art Parliamentary Library and were admitted to the plenary session of the Dewan Rakyat (House of Representatives) by the Speaker, H.E. Tan Sri Dato (Dr) Johari bin Abdul, who described the visit as a boost to South-South cooperation.

Both sides agreed to explore future collaboration through staff exchange programmes, training workshops, and the sharing of administrative resources.

The visit forms part of NASC’s broader initiative to promote excellence, transparency, and innovation in the management of Nigeria’s legislative institutions.

At the end of the productive engagement, both delegations exchanged souvenirs to commemorate the successful study visit, which was facilitated by the Nigerian High Commission in Kuala Lumpur.