Am I illegal? Ask Putrajaya, says Paul Low

Outgoing Transparency International Malaysia (TI-M) president Paul Low has pushed the ball to Putrajaya's court over the legality of his appointment as a minister in the Prime Minister's Department.

"Ask Putrajaya," Low said when asked about his position, since he has not been sworn-in as a senator yet.

When reminded that he is now part of 'Putrajaya' and therefore should be able explain the law under which he was made a minister, his answer was the same: "Ask Putrajaya".

Pressed further on whether he had been made a senator prior to his appointment as minister, or whether he was a senator now, Low replied: "No. I can't answer. You must ask Putrajaya."

DAP national adviser Lim Kit Siang maintains that the appointment of Low and former Maybank CEO Abdul Wahid Omar as ministers in the Prime Minister's Department, as well as that of deputy ministers P Waythamoorty, J Loga Bala Mohan and Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah, are illegal.

This was because, Lim said, none of them was an MPs, nor were theysworn in as senators before taking their oaths of office before the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah at the Istana Negara on May 16.

Lim also pointed out that according to the federal constitution, only members of parliament and senators can take office as cabinet ministers or deputy ministers.

Newly sworn-in Senate President Abu Zahar Ujang side-steppedthe matter on Tuesday when asked about Lim's statement, saying, without elaborating, that he would "put things in order".

"I am going to put things all in order according to procedure. There will be more senators sworn in after me," Abu Zahar said after being sworn in as the president of the upper house for his second term.

Low steps down as TI-M chief
Meanwhile, Low today officially announced his resignation as president of TI-M. Also, the organisation at its executive council meeting today elected former exco member Akhbar Satar as its new president.

The other new TI-M office bearers for 2013-14 term are deputy president Mohamad Ali Hasan, secretary-general Loi Keng Min and treasurer Mohamed Raslan Abdul Rahman.

"The exco congratulates Low on his cabinet appointment and looks forward to engaging with him in his new capacity overseeing the government's governance and integrity initiatives.

"We view his appointment as recognition of the work TI-M has been doing in this important area over the past years," Mohamad and Loi said in a joint statement this evening.