KUALA LUMPUR, March 26 — The specificity of Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) election manifesto meant the coalition cannot avoid addressing the chairmanship of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), said Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

However, the PKR president also said the promise was purely a political and moral issue rather than one that would take billions of ringgit to rectify.

"It is a matter of a quick political decision whether we think the position taken by PH in this manifesto is worth reconsidering due to present circumstances, or just proceed,” he told reporters in the Parliament lobby today.

He also added that it was the Speaker who determined the chairman of the PAC rather than the prime minister.

Anwar then said all views should be considered when choosing the next PAC chairman to prevent further disputes.

"To avoid any misunderstandings, there should discussions either among MPs, or the PAC members together with the prime minister and Speaker to come to reach an agreement (on the appointment),” Anwar suggested.

PH is under pressure to replace Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee as PAC chairman as the coalition pledge to reserve the role for an Opposition lawmaker.

Kiandee had been with Barisan Nasional (BN) when he took on the role but has since joined Dr Mahathir’s PPBM.