Dr M: Retaining Kiandee as PAC chairman does not contravene Pakatan manifesto

PUTRAJAYA (Bernama): Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee was picked to be the Public Accounts Committee chairman when he was with the opposition and thus retaining him as its head following his defection to Pakatan Harapan does not contravene Pakatan's manifesto, says Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Dr Mahathir , who is also Pakatan chairman, said the ruling coalition could not block the ex-Sabah Umno MP from joining Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia.

"Pakatan never expected him to move over. He (Kiandee) was from an opposition party before. When we picked him to be PAC chairman it means we stuck to our manifesto.

"But if he chooses a party of the ruling coalition what can we do. He was not chosen (to be PAC chairman) from a party in the ruling coalition, but from an opposition party ," he told reporters after launching the "Search for the Federal Territories Youth Icon" programme at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC) here Saturday (March 16).

Asked if the other component parties in Pakatan (DAP, PKR and Parti Amanah Negara) had agreed to this, Dr Mahathir said: "As far as I know, all (the components) agreed (for Kiandee to stay on a PAC chairman)."

Kiandee (Beluran MP) and three other ex-Sabah Umno MPs and four ex-Sabah Umno assemblymen crossed over to Bersatu. - Bernama