PETALING JAYA: The Cabinet has decided not to call for a special parliament sitting to elect a new Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman.
According to Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said (pic), the PAC chairman will be appointed by a selection committee when parliament reconvenes on Oct 19.
Azalina added that the selection committee would also require replacement and new members to reflect the recent Cabinet reshuffle and Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail replacing her husband Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as the new Opposition leader.
“Barisan Nasional parties will be suggesting names as replacements, including for the new chief whip and the member representing MIC in the selection committee.
“The Opposition is also likely to suggest new names, especially from PAS, following their split with DAP and PKR,” she said in a statement on Wednesday.
Those on the selection committee who are due to be replaced are Anwar, Barisan chief whip Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, and former Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri G. Palanivel.
Appointments for the PAC chairman and members are expected to be done as soon as changes to the selection committee are complete.
On the decision to not have a special sitting before parliament reconvenes, Azalina said the government couldn’t be rushed into making crucial decisions involving the selection committee.
The Pengerang MP also insisted that the government had no intention to delay the PAC’s investigation of 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), and that it hoped the committee would resume its investigations after the Auditor-General releases his full report on the matter.
