by P PREM KUMAR 

FORMER Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee (picture) has been named as the new chairman of Parliament-bound Public Accounts Committee (PAC), the first Opposition lawmaker to chair the high-powered council.

The motion to name Kiandee, a fifth-term Beluran MP from Umno in Sabah, was read by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Liew Vui Keong in the Dewan Rakyat at noon yesterday.

The motion to name Kiandee and MP Wong Kah Woh (Pakatan Harapan-Ipoh Timor), was in line with Pakatan Harapan’s election manifesto to name an Opposition lawmaker to head PAC.

On Monday, Liew also moved a motion to name a Committee of Selection for the 14th Parliament chaired by Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof and six other members.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail will be among members of the committee, along with Home Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu,

International Trade and Industry Minister Ignatius Darell Leiking, MP Tan Kok Wai (Pakatan Harapan-Cheras) and MP Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi(BN-Bagan Datuk).

Both the motions were approved unanimously by the lawmakers.

Kiandee, 57, will replace MP Datuk Seri Hasan Arifin (BN-Rompin), who chaired PAC since 2015.

Kiandee served as the Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker for two consecutive terms between 2008-2018.

The PAC consists of a chairman and vice-chairman to be appointed by the august house, and between six and 12 members to be nominated by the Selection Committee.

The PAC is appointed at the beginning of every Parliament, for the examination of the accounts of the federal government and the appropriation of the sums granted by Parliament to meet the public expenditure.

The committee also scrutinise accounts of public authorities and other bodies administering public funds as may be laid before the Dewan Rakyat, reports of the Auditor-General and other matters as the PAC may think fit, or which may be referred to by the Dewan Rakyat.

No member may be appointed or nominated to or act as chairman or member of the PAC while he is a minister, and the committee shall have power to request for persons, papers and records, and to report from time to time.

Former PAC chairmen include former federal ministers Tan Sri Shahrir Samad, Datuk Seri Azmi Khalid and Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed.