3 opposition MPs quit PAC over Kiandee’s chairmanship

Parit Sulong MP Noraini Ahmad had been proposed by the opposition to head the PAC.

KUALA LUMPUR: Three opposition MPs have resigned as members of the Public Accounts Committee with immediate effect on grounds that the government is refusing to appoint a representative from the opposition to head the committee.

They are Noraini Ahmad (BN-Parit Sulong), Ahmad Hamzah (BN-Jasin) and Takiyuddin Hassan (PAS-Kota Bharu).

At a press conference, the opposition leader in the Dewan Rakyat, Ismail Sabri Yaakob, said they had proposed Noraini as the PAC chairman on March 1 after Ronald Kiandee defected to PPBM from Umno.

“It seems there are more PH representatives in PAC, including both the chairman and deputy chairman,” he said, referring to Kiandee and first-term Ipoh Timur DAP MP Wong Kah Woh.

“This means PH is in full control of a committee that is meant to provide a check and balance.”

Ismail said they had to resort to such a drastic measure as Pakatan Harapan had failed to honour its election pledge to have an opposition MP head PAC.

The resignation of the trio comes in the wake of Deputy Speaker Nga Kor Ming’s statement that parliament will allow the PAC to conclude its ongoing proceedings before selecting a new chairman.

Nga said they did not want to disrupt Kiandee’s chairmanship of the PAC until the committee fully disposes of all matters before it.

The trio’s decision to step down also follows the resignation last week of Permatang Pauh MP Nurul Izzah Anwar from PAC, believed to be over the decision to retain Kiandee as chairman.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said Kiandee will stay on until a successor is found. - FMT