Chong: PH keeps its promise of letting opposition head PAC

KUCHING: Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumers Affairs Chong Chieng Jen said Pakatan Harapan (PH) government will fulfill its election promise that the opposition should head the Public Account Committee (PAC) for effective check-and-balance in the government administration.

“We always support the idea for PAC to be headed by the opposition to ensure affective check-and-balance in the administration, and it is obvious in our election manifesto that the chairman (of PAC) must be from the opposition,” Chong, who is state PH chairman, told reporters here yesterday.

He said this when asked to comment on the resignation of Nurul Izzah Anwar as a PAC committee member.

Nurul, who is Permatang Pauh MP, has resigned as PAC member, believed to be in disagreement with Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s decision to keep Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee as PAC chairman, even though the latter has been accepted to join Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), a PH component party.

Ronald left Umno last year and was accepted into Bersatu last week.

“But, give us a little time to discuss the issue and see who will be the replacement (of PAC chairman),” said Chong, who is also Stampin MP and Kota Sentosa assemblyman, adding that the matter would be deliberated upon and decided by the cabinet.

The decision to maintain Ronald as PAC chairman was also protested by Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh.