IT is good that the Pakatan Harapan government did not appoint one of the members of parliament as the attorney-general, a PAS MP said today.

Takiyuddin Hassan (PAS-Kota Bharu) said he agreed with government’s decision but suggested that the A-G now be made to sit in the House.

“I agree with the move very much.. not to appoint one of the MPs, unlike what PH pledged in its manifesto,” he said in his motion of thanks for the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s royal address this evening.

“If an MP is appointed A-G, imagine if the MP is Sepang or Jelutong… it would put them in a higher position than Kota Raja, Bagan or Iskandar Puteri,” he joked.

The Sepang and Jelutong MPs are lawyers Mohamed Hanipa Maidin (Amanah) and RSN Rayer (DAP), respectively.

The Kota Raja MP is Amanah president Mohamad Sabu while Bagan and Iskandar Puteri MPs are DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng and his father, DAP leader Lim Kit Siang, respectively.

“What I want to ask if whether the government has plans to make the A-G a member of the Dewan Rakyat?

“It’s not something new. State legal advisers are ex-officio who sit in the state legislative assemblies.

“Why not let the A-G sit in the Dewan Rakyat to answer and address questions? Perhaps he can be made a senator.”

Constitutional expert Tommy Thomas is the A-G.

Takiyuddin also asked if the government planned to be a technocrat like Pakistan, Greece, Tunisia, Bulgaria and Romania.

“In such a government, when the administration doesn’t have the right MPs to fill cabinet positions, it appoints professionals as cabinet members by making them senators.”

Takiyuddin also asked why certain ministers and deputy ministers were given portfolios that did not correspond with their backgrounds.

He said an engineer was the deputy finance minister and a lawyer, the works minister, while an MP representing an urban seat was the minister in charge of rural development.

Takiyuddin did not mention their names.

“My concern is with the deputy minister in charge of Islamic affairs at the Prime Minister’s Department,” he said, referring to Fuziah Salleh (PH-Kuantan).

He said checks showed the deputy minister’s academic background and qualifications were in counselling and business administration

“This is unsuitable. Islamic affairs should be left to people with the right qualifications and abilities. 

“I am not questioning or belittling her capabilities, but I am raising this because the government has to be responsible (for its decisions).” – July 24, 2018.