Change policy on PAC chief post or no opposition leader, Selangor told in ultimatum
(Malaya Mail Online) – Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo told the Selangor government today to stop insisting that the state opposition leader be appointed to head the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), or it will face the risk of not having any opposition leader at all.
He said that if the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) state government continues to insist that the job be given to the state’s opposition leader, it would then have to provide the candidate with the quorum he or she needs.
Dr Khir, who was once Selangor mentri besar, said that it was also justified for the now former opposition leader Datuk Shamsudin Lias to resign and reject the PAC chairman post on the basis that he does not command the majority from his own party in the committee.
“How to accept the position when the majority representation is not from your own party? It would be difficult for him to discharge his (Shamsudin) duties,” Dr Khir told Malay Mail Online when contacted.
“In fact, if he accepts the post, he would have to get permission for everything from members of the other party (Pakatan Rakyat) who dominate the committee and that’s not fair,” he added.
Dr Khir also took to advising the PR-led Selangor government to revert back to the principle of having separate heads to helm the leadership in PAC and to lead the Opposition bench.
“If he (Shamsudin) were to take up the position, his workload as the opposition leader will also be heavier.
“As far as I am concerned from my own experience in Selangor, we must have separate heads for these posts,” he said referring to the Selangor PAC chairmanship and the Opposition leader’s position.
“As long as they (Selangor government) maintain their decision, they would have to do without an Opposition Leader’s post,” Dr Khir reiterated.
Shamsudin stepped down from his post as Selangor Opposition Leader after refusing an offer to take up the role of chairman at the Selangor PAC, saying that his decision was a matter of “honour”.
“How can I be asked to be the (Selangor PAC) chairman when my powers are to be suppressed while heading it (PAC)? I would have no quorum in it,” he said when contacted by Malay Mail Online.
“It was a matter of honour for me..sorry, but I am not willing to compromise my principles for the sake of power..It is not Umno’s style,” the Sungai Burong state assemblyman further added.
By stepping down, he carried out what had been suggested on December 4 by Selangor State Legislative Assembly Speaker, Hannah Yeoh.
Her suggestion, in turn, came after an amendment was passed in the state assembly, requiring that the Selangor PAC be led by the Barisan Nasional opposition head.
Yeoh is scheduled to hold a news conference on Shamsudin’s resignation at 1.30pm in the Speaker’s office at the Selangor State Legislative Assembly today.
