MASS RESIGNATIONS OVER KIANDEE? PERHAPS MAHATHIR HAS OVERSTAYED HIS WELCOME: UNHAPPY PAC MEMBERS WRITE TO PM TO PROTEST DECISION TO KEEP KIANDEE AS PAC CHIEF – WHEN THE POST IS PROMISED TO AN OPPOSITION MP

FILE PHOTO - Malaysia's Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad speaks during an interview with Reuters in Putrajaya, Malaysia June 19, 2018. REUTERS/Lai Seng Sin/File Photo

Pakatan Harapan Public Accounts Committee (PAC) members have written to Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad to protest his decision to keep Ronald Kiandee as PAC chief.

Speaking to Malaysiakini, PAC member Wong Chen said the letter was sent to the prime minister on March 19, a day after the Harapan PAC members had a meeting in Parliament.

“Eight of us met on Monday and we wrote a letter to the prime minister to tell him that we are not happy,” he said.

In the letter, the members said that PAC should be led by an opposition lawmaker as stipulated in Harapan’s manifesto.

“We are waiting for his reply,” said the Subang MP, adding that Kiandee had recused himself from the meeting on March 18.

A change of PAC chief is most likely only possible via a motion tabled by the government itself as the motion by an MP is unlikely be brought up to Dewan Rakyat sitting.

This is because, Wong said, the House usually prioritises motions and bills by the government.

In its manifesto, Harapan pledged to reserve the PAC chairperson role for the opposition.

After Kiandee joined the ruling coalition on March 15, the opposition proposed that Umno Wanita Chief and Parit Sulong MP Noraini Ahmad replace him as PAC chairperson.

However, Mahathir, who is also Harapan chairperson, had asked Kiandee to remain in his position as PAC chairperson.

Kiandee then said he would abide by Mahathir’s instructions.

Several Harapan leaders, included Harapan de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim, DAP’s Hannah Yeoh as well as PKR’s Nurul Izzah Anwar and Sim Tze Tsin said the coalition should abide by its election manifesto.

Yesterday, it was reported that Nurul Izzah resigned from her position in the PAC.

MKINI