KUALA LUMPUR, March 10 — Datuk Noraini Ahmad has resigned as the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman effective today following her appointment as the Higher Education Minister.

Her resignation is in line with the Dewan Rakyat Standing Order 77 (4) which reads: "No member may be appointed or nominated to or act as Chairman or member of the Public Accounts Committee while he is a Minister.”

In a statement, the Member of Parliament for Parit Sulong said the resignation letter had been sent to Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof.

"Following Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s announcement on March 9 on the appointment of Cabinet members for the government of Malaysia, I have been appointed the Higher Education Minister.

"I would like to express my deepest appreciation and thanks to Tan Sri Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof for all the cooperation and help extended to me when I was the parliamentary PAC chairman for about 10 months beginning April 11, 2019,” she said.

Noraini had been appointed PAC chairman to replace Beluran MP Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee after he had left Umno to join Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, which was a component party of the then ruling Pakatan Harapan (PH).

Her appointment was to fulfil pledge 16 of the PH manifesto in the 14th general election, which stipulates that the post should be held by an opposition member for check-and-balance purposes. — Bernama