PETALING JAYA: Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad (pic) himself will table a motion in Parliament to replace the chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee, with BN's Parit Sulong MP Datuk Dr Noraini Ahmad.

The motion appears as the ninth item on the Order Paper for Thursday's (April 4) sitting, after the reading of a few Bills.

Noraini, who is also Umno Wanita chief, will replace Dr Kiandee, who left Sabah Umno to join Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia on March 15.

Previously, all three opposition MPs resigned from the PAC pending the replacement of Dr Kiandee as its chairman.

Dr Noraini was one of the opposition MPs who resigned, together with Jasin MP Datuk Seri Ahmad Hamzah and Kota Baru MP Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan.

There are 12 PAC members – eight from Pakatan Harapan, two from Barisan Nasional, and one each from PAS and Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu.

In its GE14 manifesto, Pakatan Harapan had pledged an opposition MP would head the PAC.

Permatang Pauh MP Nurul Izzah Anwar had earlier resigned from the PAC, believed to be in protest of the government's move to take over the PAC chair.

The PAC is a Parliamentary oversight committee that examines the government's financial operations, accounts and funds granted by Parliament.

It also studies the Auditor-General's reports and may also probe troubled government entities, projects and programmes to make recommendations.