KUALA LUMPUR: Barisan Nasional and Pas federal lawmakers have resigned en masse from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in protest against Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee’s controversial position as chairman.
The protest came on the heels of Ronald’s recent membership in Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, which some PAC members had expressed concern over the committee’s impartiality.
The MPs’ resignation took place after Permatang Pauh lawmaker Nurul Izzah Anwar left the committee yesterday; she had insisted that the chairmanship must be held by an opposition MP as pledged by the Pakatan Harapan government in its manifesto.
Following the resignations, there are nine committee members from the original 14.
At a media conference today, opposition leader Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said BN’s Jasin MP Datuk Seri Ahmad Hamzah and Parit Sulong's Datuk Dr Noraini Ahmad; and Pas’s Kota Baru MP Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan, have quit the committee with immediate effect.
“They will not return to the committee as long as the chairman is from the ruling party. PH in its manifesto had promised that the PAC chairmanship will be reserved to the opposition.
“Ronald was made chairman after the 14th general election. But after jumping to another party, the prime minister made a statement that Ronald would be maintained as chairman.
“We had proposed for Noraini to be the new chairman. We sent a letter on March 1 which was made known to the Speaker. But there has been no response until today.
“If we go ahead with the current appointments, there will be more PH MPs than the opposition in the committee. Which means PH has more power, although PAC is held to as a body of checks and balances.”
Takiyuddin was also present, said it was a conventional practice for the head of PAC to be from the opposition.
“Back then, the chairman was from BN and the deputy were from the opposition. There is no need for the prime minister to pick the chairman himself.”