THE parliamentary select committee on public appointments had previously discussed on a candidate to head the Malaysian Human Rights Commission but the name of the candidate was never extended to the prime minister.

The committee’s head, Selayang MP William Leong, said the prime minister already had his own list of candidates before the committee could hand him their choice.

Leong said the committee had even discussed the candidate and the process of his appointment with Suhakam as well as the legal department in the Prime Minister’s Department.

“We were, however, unable to submit the name of our candidate as a list was already given to the prime minister to make a decision,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

On Wednesday, Putrajaya announced the appointment of former diplomat Othman Hashim as the Suhakam chief commissioner.

Two new commissioners were also appointed while five commissioners were reappointed.

Suhakam had been without commissioners since its former chairman Razali Ismail resigned on April 16, almost two weeks before the end of his term on April 27.

Under the Suhakam Act, the appointment of commissioners are made by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on the advice of the prime minister.

Leong also said that the committee will now decide if it wants to call up Othman to face the parliamentarians on his tasks at Suhakam.

“I will have to discuss with the other committee member on this,” he said.

The committee has come under the spotlight in recent weeks after it was revealed that it was kept in the dark over the appointment of Latheefa Koya as the head of Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad then delivered another blow to the committee when he said that he would continue to decide on major public appointments despite Pakatan Harapan’s election promise that such appointments would go through the parliamentary committee.

The committee, however, decided to show its power by summoning Latheefa to appear before it to address three issues.

Leong had said the committee wanted to know how the new MACC chief was going to deal with the fact that she was once an active politician, on her lack of experience in investigating corruption cases, and on her vision and mission to fight corruption.

She is expected to appear before the committee next week.

Apart from Leong, the committee comprises of Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man (Kubang Kerian-PAS), Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh (Ledang-PKR), Ngeh Koo Ham (Beruas – DAP), Fong Kui Lun (Bukit Bintang – DAP), Hasan Bahrom (Tampin – Amanah) and Ismail Sabri Yaakob (Bera – Umno). – June 30, 2019.