The ruling Barisan Nasional coalition today gave its support to a motion tabled by parliamentary Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang to impeach Election Commission (EC) chief Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman and his commissioners over alleged electoral irregularities.

However, the ruling coalition said it has to first seek the views of the attorney-general as to whether such a debate would be sub judice in light of suits having been filed over the matter.

"Since there are election petitions before the courts, we have to discuss further whether the debate on the motion will influence judges' decision on these petitions," Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri Abdul Aziz told a press conference at the Parliament's lobby this afternoon.

"The Prime Minister (Abdullah Ahmad Badawi) himself is prepared to participate in the debate for this motion if it proceeds," he added.

Nazri said a copy of Lim's motion will be forwarded to the AG's Chambers this evening and he hoped a final decision could be made by tomorrow.

He explained a fast decision was needed as Lim had agreed not to raise issues pertaining to the EC during the current the six-day debate over the royal address on the condition his motion is allowed to be debated by the House after the period.

DAP invited

In his motion, Lim, the Ipoh Timor MP said the House should pass a motion of no-confidence against Abdul Rashid and his commissioners over the 'most unfair, unfree and unclean general election in the nation's history'.

Apart from him, Teresa Kok (DAP-Seputeh) has also moved two other motions involving the EC, namely to support the body's suggestion for an independent probe and to pass an amendment on the Election Commission Act in order to ensure the body is free and fair.

If the AG's chambers advice allows the debate, the House sitting will be adjourned to debate the motion at the end of which the MPs will cast their vote for or against the motion.

Nazri also announced the setting-up of a select committee on national unity and integration which among others will study the implementation of the controversy-ridden national service programme.

"Batu Gajah MP (Fong Po Kuan-DAP) has moved a motion to call for the abolishment of the National Service Training Act 2003. Due to this, we would like to invite her to sit on the committee, present her views and further decide whether to proceed or withdraw her motion," the minister told reporters.

The setting of select committees in our parliament has been a rare practise. These committees comprise both ruling and opposition parliamentarians and are tasked with collecting views and public opinion on crucial matters or on new legislature to be enacted.

PAC chief named

The national unity and integration select committee is the second of its kind to be announced. Last week, the minister said a select committee had been set up to study a proposed amendment to the Criminal Procedure Code .

He said the heads of these two committees had yet to be decided, adding that parliament's standing orders do not stipulate a time frame for select committees to fulfill their task.

The minister also announced that the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) would be headed by former deputy transport minister and Perak menteri besar Ramli Ngah Talib, who is currently Pasir Salak MP.

Three seats in the PAC would be allocated for opposition parties with one representative each from DAP, PAS and Keadilan. The committee, which used to have seven committee members, can be expanded under the Standing Orders to accommodate 14.

Nazri was in the news recently for saying that the opposition would not be allowed to chair the PAC as certain ' sensitivities ' needed to be protected.

DAP's Fong told malaysiakini that she was 'most willing' to accept Nazri's invitation to sit on the parliamentary select committee on national unity and integration

"This is a good move and I hope my views on the national service programme will be taken seriously by the committee members," she said.