KUALA LUMPUR, March 28 — Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said today he was uncertain if three Opposition members of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) had formally submitted their resignation letters.

Datuk Seri Ahmad Hamzah (BN-Jasin), Datuk Noraini Ahmad (BN-Parit Sulong) and Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan (PAS-Kota Baru) did not attend the PAC’s latest meeting yesterday after the trio announced their resignation from the committee on Monday.

"I am not sure, I haven’t checked or asked yet.

"But in the recent meeting, the representatives from the Opposition did not attend the meeting, which means they have taken action to show they have resigned with their absence,” he told reporters when met at the Parliament lobby, here today.

Ismail reiterated that the three PAC members will rejoin the committee once an Opposition MP is selected to chair the proceedings.

He said the Opposition pact had decided to protest the decision to retain Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee as the chairman as it reflects the ruling government’s move to have full power in the PAC.

"It seems that the government wants to monopolise PAC. The chairman and his deputy are both from the government… if they want to have absolute power in PAC, we will not support their move,” he said, adding that even MPs from the ruling coalition had objected to Kiandee remaining as the head.

Nurul Izzah Anwar had announced her resignation from the PAC last week, and explained she had quit to stand up for the values she believes in and push forward the agenda of institutional reforms.

The Permatang Pauh MP had made comparisons to the previous Barisan Nasional administration where the head of the PAC would be from the government, and its deputy from the Opposition.