Malaysia: ‘PSC has no power to reject Latheefa’s appointment’

• While Latheefa Koya’s appointment as Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief is already a “done deal”, the Parliamentary Select Committee on Major Public Appointments (PSC) can still call her to appear before it, says Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof.
• “However, it cannot disagree with the appointment as it is a done deal,” he told reporters at the Parliament lobby after attending a briefing by Parliamentarians for Global Action on the protection of the oceans on 11 Jun 19.
• Mohamad Ariff said he would not be involved in PSC and it was up to the committee to set the agenda for its coming meeting.
• He was asked to comment on PSC chairman William Leong’s statement on 11 Jun 19 that the committee would convene a meeting to discuss Latheefa’s appointment tomorrow.
• Leong acknowledged that PSC had no power to appoint or reject a candidate but merely served as a check and balance to ensure appointments to key government posts were merit-based.
• The bipartisan PSC previously evaluated and discussed the recent appointments of the Chief Justice and Inspector-General of Police.
• Asked if there should be amendments to the Federal Constitution or the MACC Act to give PSC more powers to decide on appointments, Mohamad Ariff said it was not necessary.
• Mohamad Ariff also noted that the MACC law had checks and balances to oversee the commission in the form of two special committees whose members include MPs and senators.
• Latheefa’s surprise appointment to replace Datuk Seri Mohd Shukri Abdull ignited a raft of reactions from many parties, including those questioning the manner of her appointment.

External Link: https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2019/06/12/psc-has-no-power-to-reject-latheefas-appointment/