Former deputy speaker of Dewan Rakyat Ronald Kiandee today confirmed that he has been offered the post of new Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairperson.

He said he was unofficially informed about the matter by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Liew Vui Keong in a meeting at the Parliament last Thursday, which was also attended by opposition leader Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

However, he said the decision would be finalised on Tuesday at the earliest after the motion on the appointment was tabled at the Dewan Rakyat.

“Yes, the motion for the appointment of new PAC chairman and deputy chairman was listed in the Order Paper issued by the Parliament today. The motion is scheduled to be tabled after the winding up of the debate on the royal address,” he told Bernama in Kuala Lumpur today.

According to the Dewan Rakyat’s Order Paper for Monday, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad is scheduled to table a motion on the appointment of Kiandee as PAC chairman and Ipoh Timur Member of Parliament (MP) Wong Kah Woh as the committee’s deputy chairman.

Pakatan Harapan in their manifesto for the 14th general election promised to appoint an opposition MP as PAC chairperson.

Kiandee, who is also Beluran MP, said he accepted the offer with an open heart and if the motion was passed by the Dewan Rakyat, he promised to do his level best to lead the PAC.

“However, let’s wait for the motion to be tabled first,” he said.

Prior to this, Zahid, who is also Umno president, was reported to have been offered the post, but several news portals today quoted Liew as saying that Zahid had rejected the offer.

Liew was also quoted as saying that Kiandee’s name was proposed by Zahid himself and that it had also approved by the cabinet.

- Bernama