This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on March 19, 2019

KUALA LUMPUR: The parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) will meet within this week to discuss the necessity of appointing a new chairman following the switch-over of the current chairman to the ruling coalition.

PAC member Wong Chen (PH-Subang) said that it is best for an opposition member of parliament to lead the committee since it is tasked with monitoring wastage and corruption in the government.

“I think that it is clear that the PAC needs to have a meeting among ourselves, members of PAC, and then we will get (Datuk Seri) Ronald’s (Kiandee) opinion. Generally, I am in agreement with (Permatang Pauh member of parliament) Nurul Izzah, that the PAC is supposed to be monitoring the current government’s wastage and corruption issues, so it is best that the opposition leads it,” he said.

PAC chairman Kiandee’s (PH-Beluran) suitability to lead the committee came into question after he quit the opposition to join Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, a member of the government coalition.

This is against Pakatan Harapan’s election promise to reserve the PAC chairman’s position for an opposition party candidate as part of its effort to restore integrity to the nation’s institutions.

Speaking to reporters at Parliament lobby yesterday, Wong said it is a standard practice for most parliamentary systems in the world to reserve the PAC chairman’s position for the opposition.

“Of course, we take the prime minister’s advice, but ultimately it is up to the PAC members. We will call for a meeting as soon as possible, because we are scheduled to meet next week, but I think we will meet earlier, maybe within this week, get some feedback among ourselves, and then report back to cabinet, and let the political leaders there give their directive to us,” he said.

 Last week, local media reported that Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad defended the decision to retain Kiandee as PAC chairman.

Wong also said there was a need to obtain feedback from new candidate for PAC chairman Datuk Noraini Ahmad (BN-Parit Sulong).

 “PAC is a very close family, because we have been working very hard for months, five months already, and I think there is a good relationship, so irrespective of the political position outside the PAC, at least the members must meet first, to have an understanding and discuss what we want to do going forward, then we report to the political leaders out there,” he added.