PETALING JAYA (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK): Rompin MP Hasan Arifin is set to be named the new Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman when the Dewan Rakyat meets on Monday (Oct 19).
According to the parliamentary order paper for Oct 19, Prime Minister Najib Razak will be tabling a motion to suggest Mr Hasan, 62, as the replacement to Nur Jazlan Mohamed.
The order paper reads: "That the honourable Hasan Arifin, MP for Rompin, is chosen to replace the honourable Nur Jazlan Mohamed, MP for Pulai, as the chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee for the 13th Parliament".
Nur Jazlan and three other PAC members had to relinquish their positions after they were appointed into Mr Najib's administration several months ago.
The appointment has been long awaited as the PAC's probe into the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) debt controversy was suspended due to the appointments of Nur Jazlan and the three PAC members into the government.
Mr Hasan retained the Rompin seat for Barisan Nasional in a by-election on May 5 this year. The seat fell vacant after Jamaluddin Jarjis died in a helicopter crash in Semenyih, Selangor, on April 4.
Mr Najib will also move a motion to appoint Deputy Prime Minister Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Health Minister Dr S. Subramaniam, and Opposition leader Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail as members of the committee of selection.
Dr Ahmad Zahid, Dr Subramaniam and Dr Wan Azizah are replacing former deputy prime minister and Pagoh MP Muhyiddin Yassin, Cameron Highlands MP G. Palanivel, and former Permatang Pauh MP Anwar Ibrahim.
The Star had previously reported that changes must be made to the committee of selection before the replacements for the four PAC members are done.
The committee of selection consists of the Speaker as the chairman, and six MPs elected by the House.
Apart from Mr Muhyiddin, Mr Anwar and Mr Palanivel, the other members in the committee include Dewan Rakyat Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia, Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai, Minister in the Department of the Prime Minister Joseph Entulu Belaun, and Democratic Action Party (DAP) leader Lim Kit Siang.
