Dr M to propose Umno’s Noraini Ahmad as PAC chief.
Permatang Pauh MP Nurul Izzah Anwar has returned as a member of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) following a move to replace the present chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee.
“I agreed to rejoin PAC after discussions with Chief Whip (Datuk Johari Abdul) and getting approval from the Speaker (Datuk Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof),” Nurul Izzah said in a WhatsApp message shared with reporters.
She said she also hoped that the reformation agenda would continue to benefit the people and the nation.
When met outside a PAC closed-door meeting, Kiandee confirmed that Nurul had attended the meeting.
Asked if he was prepared to vacate his position, Kiandee said he was willing to do so and it was part and parcel of the process.
“I was appointed by the government and the government can decide to replace me in line with its manifesto,” he said.
Earlier, it was reported that Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad will table a motion proposing Datuk Noraini Ahmad (BN-Parit Sulong) to replace Kiandee as the chair of the PAC.
The motion is the ninth item in the Dewan Rakyat’s order paper for the day.
The move follows weeks of objections and the mass resignation of Opposition members from the PAC to protest against Kiandee remaining as the chairman of the parliamentary watchdog.
Kiandee was appointed to the role when he had still been a Sabah Umno lawmaker, but he has since joined PPBM.
Pakatan Harapan has been under pressure to replace Kiandee since his defection as the coalition pledged in its election manifesto to reserve the PAC chairmanship for an Opposition lawmaker.
Dr Mahathir initially disagreed with replacing Kiandee but later relented by saying a new PAC chairman would be named when a suitable candidate was found.
He insisted there was no urgency to do so as the election pledge was not legally compelling while Opposition members pointed out that they already nominated Noraini for the position.
A three-term MP for Parit Sulong, Noraini is also Wanita Umno chief. She was appointed as a PAC member in August last year, replacing former PAC chief Hasan Arifin.
Deputy Speaker Nga Kor Ming previously sought to mitigate the matter by asserting the PAC has active cases before it, which would be disrupted if Kiandee was replaced midway.
The issue prompted mass resignations from the committee, which began with Nurul Izzah tendering her resignation, followed by Umno and PAS MPs, including Noraini.
Earlier reports:
Mar 26, PAC Stalemate
Mar 22, Nurul Izzah Resigns PAC Post