PARIT Sulong lawmaker Noraini Ahmad has been appointed a member of the parliament Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

The former higher education minister was among 12 others appointed to the committee by Dewan Rakyat speaker Johari Abdul.

“I wish to congratulate them as this is a huge responsibility, so please assist them,” he told lawmakers in parliament today.

Among the others are former deputy minister Sim Tze Tzin (Bayan Baru-PH) and Ali Biju (Saratok-PN).

In a separate statement, PAC chairman Mas Ermieyati Samsudin welcomed the new appointments.

“All 12 are from various backgrounds including medicine, law, engineering and academia,” she said.

Mas Ermieyati said Noraini’s appointment was significant as she had helmed the PAC between April 2019 and March 2020.

“The experience of the PAC members, including myself, who had served in the government will surely boost the committee as well as ensure that each report tabled will have an impact,” she said.

She added that the role of PAC as a mechanism of checks and balances to the government, particularly in financial policies, acquisitions and governance, will be enhanced with the appointments.

In April, Mas Ermieyati and Wong Shu Qi (Kluang-PH) were appointed PAC chairman and deputy chairman respectively.

Aside from the chair and deputy, the bipartisan PAC must consist of no fewer than six and no more than 12 MPs.

This is the first time in history that the top two in the PAC – often considered the most powerful committee in parliament – are both women. – May 24, 2023.