KUALA LUMPUR, March 16 — Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today dismissed claims that his Pakatan Harapan (PH) government reneged on its electoral promise to appoint an Opposition MP to head Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC).
Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee was picked when he was in the Opposition, but the government “cannot stop” the Beluran MP from switching his allegiance later, Malaysiakini reported the prime minister saying.
“But he chose to the ruling party, what can we do? We cannot stop him,” Dr Mahathir told reporters in Putrajaya.
According to the news report, the PM added that all in PH agreed for Kiandee to remain PAC chief, after the latter was accepted into Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia yesterday.
However, two PH lawmakers have openly expressed disagreement with retaining Kiandee as the incumbent.
PAC member and Permatang Pauh MP Nurul Izzah Anwar and Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh both urged for the chairmanship of the parliamentary watchdog to be held by a current Opposition lawmaker on the grounds of accountability and to prove its commitment to government and legislative reforms.
