‘Parliament to oversee audit department’

Check and balance: Dr Mahathir speaking during a press conference after chairing the Special Cabinet Committee on Anti-Corruption meeting in Putrajaya.

PUTRAJAYA: The National Audit Department will be placed under the purview of a parliamentary select committee, as part of the government’s proposed institutional reforms, said the Prime Minister.

The move will ensure that the Prime Minister and the Government will no longer have the power to appoint the Auditor-General, as well as sack or demote officers in the department, he added.

“Through national audits, we are able to know if government administration is done according to the rules.

“At present, the National Audit Department is placed under the purview of the prime minister.

“The appointment of the Auditor-General is made by the prime minister.

“We have agreed to move this authority to a select parliamentary committee,” said Dr Mahathir at a press conference here after chairing the third meeting of the Special Cabinet Committee on Anti-Corruption yesterday

The budget for the National Audit Department will also be determined by the parliamentary select committee, he added.

Dr Mahathir said the reforms initiated by the government are done to reduce corruption.

“We will have to wait for a while to see the effects of these reforms. Hopefully, we can see a reduction in corruption in the country,” he said.

Dr Mahathir said certain reforms proposed by the Government would require constitutional amendments, and therefore needed the support of Opposition MPs.

“We do not have a two-thirds majority in Parliament. But if we can get the assurance of Opposition parties that they will support the amendments, only then will we table it,” he said.

Among the reforms that would require constitutional amendments include limiting the Prime Minister’s tenure.

One of Pakatan Harapan’s election pledges was to reduce the Prime Minister’s tenure to two terms.

On a separate matter, Dr Mahathir scoffed at accusations that he and Tun Daim Zainuddin are conspiring to stop Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim from becoming the next prime minister.

“That is a very ‘nice’ allegation. I think the person should show proof of it.

“I have never even talked to anybody about this thing. I stay away, I have no business to do anything with the internal affairs of other parties,” said Dr Mahathir who is Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia chairman.

He was responding to claims that he and Daim are scheming to prevent PKR president Anwar from becoming prime minister.