Let Najib have a say with Dewan Rakyat Speaker over new PAC chairman, says Zahid

The prime minister should discuss with the Dewan Rakyat Speaker the appointment of a new chairman for Parliament's Public Accounts Committee (PAC), says Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. – The Malaysian Insider pic, August 1, 2015.The prime minister should discuss with the Dewan Rakyat Speaker the appointment of a new chairman for Parliament's Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said today.

Zahid said Dewan Rakyat Speaker, Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia should be given a chance to get input from Datuk Seri Najib Razak, now that the PAC's immediate past chairman Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamad has been made a member of the administration.

"I think there should not be any rush to hold the meeting as if there is a hidden agenda by those who are pressing the Speaker for PAC to act immediately,' Zahid said when speaking at the launch of the Bagan Datoh Umno division meeting in Perak today.

He said the Speaker should also be allowed to discuss the appointment of a new PAC chairman with the Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club (BNBBC) chairman and representatives from other political parties who are also members of the bi-partisan committee.

He said this was necessary as "surely we do not want to influence any investigation or decision by PAC, and also agreed with Pandikar's view that the hearings on 1MDB should not take place until a new MP was selected to chair the committee.

The PAC, which is in the midst of an inquiry into troubled state investor 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), was due to resume its hearings with top executives from the debt-ridden firm in early August.

But the promotion of Nur Jazlan to deputy home minister has left the committee without a chairman, since parliamentary rules state that no minister can be appointed as chairman or member of the PAC.

The rules also state that the PAC chairman and vice-chairman shall be appointed by the Dewan Rakyat.

Pandikar was reported by BNBBC.my website as saying that although Standing Orders 77(3) allows an existing member to be elected to chair the PAC meeting in the absence of the chairman or his deputy, this rule could not be applied when the chair was vacated. The provision was only in the case of ill health or inability to attend meetings due to specific reasons, Pandikar had said.

The Speaker had also said that the PAC should only meet after a new chairman was appointed to avoid future disputes over the validity of the committee's proceedings.

Besides Nur Jazlan, two other PAC members were made deputy ministers and another a minister in Tuesday's Cabinet reshuffle.

The move raised questions as to the PAC's ongoing proceedings, including its inquiry into 1MDB, which is to continue next week.

Opposition members of the PAC, however, have said they will continue with the inquiry. The committee's vice-chairman Tan Seng Giaw said the remaining members had not received any official letter from Parliament on the temporary suspension of the PAC's operations.

- TMI