PARLIAMENT | Noraini Ahmad (BN-Parit Sulong) has been appointed as the chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), replacing Ronald Kiandee (Harapan-Beluran).

Noraini was appointed after the motion tabled by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Liew Vui Keong was approved without debate in the Dewan Rakyat today.

Her appointment came after weeks of protest from lawmakers and members of the public over Kiandee being kept as chairperson despite his defection from Umno to Bersatu on March 15.

In its manifesto, Pakatan Harapan had pledged to pick an opposition representative to head the committee.

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad had initially insisted on Kiandee (below) remaining in the post, but appeared to have given in to members of his own coalition urging him to abide by the manifesto.

Noraini, who also heads Wanita Umno, was appointed as a member of the PAC in August 2018, replacing its former chief Hasan Arifin.

She was named by BN as the new PAC chairperson to replace Kiandee.

At a press conference later, Noraini stressed that her predecessor had done a good job, and she wished to do the same with together with her PAC team.

She said that the committee will meet on April 23 by calling the attorney-general Tommy Thomas and MACC chief Mohd Shukri Abdull in relation to its probe into a Kuala Lumpur City Hall land deal.

According to PAC deputy chairperson Wong Kah Woh, its probe into GST refunds will be completed soon, with the report to be tabled during the next Dewan Rakyat sitting in July.