Upholding Agong’s decree, PAC to meet July 26: chairman

KUALA LUMPUR – The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) will be holding a meeting on July 26, its chairman said.

Wong Kah Woh said in a statement that the meeting will be held at 2pm on Monday.

He said the PAC is upholding the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s decree on June 28, which urged the parliamentary select committee to convene as a check-and-balance mechanism for the government.

The Ipoh Timor MP said the letter notifying of the PAC’s meeting has been sent to Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun.

“The meeting will be held physically involving all members of the PAC, along with former official task force members to discuss future PAC meetings, especially those involving cases that have been delayed previously, apart from updating meeting schedules,” he said.

“However, the task force is open to hold hybrid meetings to avoid violating any rules of parliamentary meetings.”

Earlier today, Law Minister Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan said the government agreed to reconvene Parliament before the end of the month after facing constant pressure from various quarters.

He said the matter was decided by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

The Agong had on June 29 reiterated his stand for Parliament to reconvene as soon as possible to discuss the emergency and pandemic, as well as ensure checks and balances.

This came after the King granted an audience to Azhar and Dewan Negara president Tan Sri Rais Yatim, as well as their deputies, to discuss the reconvening of the august House.

This makes the third time that the king has urged for an immediate sitting, after making similar calls in February and earlier last month.

Previously, His Majesty summoned leaders of major political parties and top civil servants in the country for meetings that took place between June 9 and 14 to obtain their views on the current health and economic crisis.

It was then followed by a special conference of rulers on June 16, which was also attended by top government officials, where the Agong raised issues brought to him by the political leaders.

Just a day prior, on June 15, Muhyiddin said the lower House will reconvene in September or October if daily Covid-19 cases fall below 2,000. – The Vibes, July 2, 2021