The motion to appoint Bagan Datuk MP Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (above) as chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) will be tabled at the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday.
This was confirmed today by deputy Dewan Rakyat speaker Nga Kor Ming who added that the motion would also propose Ipoh Timur MP Wong Kah Woh as Zahid's deputy.
Nga explained that the Pakatan Harapan administration had decided to emulate Australian and British parliamentary practice of appointing the parliamentary opposition leader as the PAC head.
"This motion will be tabled by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and de facto Law Minister Liew Vui Keong. This is the first step towards parliamentary reform.
"We have delivered on our promise," said Nga.
Previous administrations had appointed backbenchers to head the PAC, which often led to criticisms that the committee could not function effectively as a check on the executive.
Nga said that he hoped Zahid, if he accepts the post, would investigate major scandals including the 1MDB affair and Khazanah Nasional's losses resulting from its investment in a lingerie company, among others.
In the event that Zahid refuses this position, Nga said Harapan would still reserve it for an opposition lawmaker.
"Only if no opposition MP takes it, then we might have to appoint someone from the backbench," he said.
The PAC is a powerful committee which can investigate ministries, GLCs and government agencies. - Mkini
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