PARLIAMENT | The Council of Eminent (CEP) should not be compared to the defunct Performance and Management Delivery Unit (Pemandu) said de facto Law Minister Liew Vui Keong.

In a parliamentary written reply, Liew said the five members of the CEP worked for free, unlike Pemandu, as a form of national service.

Liew was responding to Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man (PAS-Kubang Kerian) who sought the terms of reference and cost for CEP.

Liew said the CEP was formed on May 12 by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad to act on an “advisory basis” on economic, financial and other matters.

“Among others, their terms of reference is to prepare a draft policy to help Pakatan Harapan achieve its 100-day pledges.

“The CEP will only advise the government for 100 days,” he said.

In contrast, Pemandu was formed in 2009 as part of the Najib Abdul Razak administration’s efforts to improve government efficiency and communicating government policies.

At its peak, it had about 100 staff - which World Bank noted was the largest in the world for a policy implementation monitoring unit - and an annual budget of RM40 million.

Over the years, Pemandu’s operations were scaled down before it was disbanded by the Harapan administration.

Throughout its existence, Pemandu was led by former corporate bigwig Idris Jala - one of Najib’s key associate.

As for the CEP, it is led by another corporate bigwig Daim Zainuddin, who is a close associate of Mahathir.

He is assisted by former Bank Negara governor Zeti Akhtar Aziz, tycoon Robert Kuok, economist Jomo Kwame Sundram and former Petronas CEO Hassan Marican.