KUALA LUMPUR, July 24 — Perikatan Nasional (PN) deputy chairman Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin has raised concerns over the appointment of a serving civil servant as Auditor-General.
He said the move goes against constitutional norms and undermines the principles of good governance and independence.
“According to Articles 7 and 105 (4) and (5) of the Federal Constitution, the Auditor-General should not be appointed from among those still actively serving in the civil service. While it may not be illegal, it certainly goes against the spirit of independence and accountability,” he said during a press conference in Parliament here today.
Hamzah argued that the role demands independence from executive influence and questioned the credibility of the appointment, given that the appointee still reports to senior civil service officers, including the Director-General of Public Services and the Chief Secretary to the Government.
He also cited the late Tan Sri Hadenan Jalil’s appointment as a proper example, noting that Hadenan had resigned from his civil service post before becoming Auditor-General.
“The prime minister (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) talks about governance, but when it comes to implementation, it all falls apart. The people will see this as biased. The individual should have resigned before the appointment to maintain independence,” he said.
Hamzah then went on to defend growing calls for a public protest this weekend, saying it reflects the people’s frustration over unresolved issues and governance failures.
He said several civil society organisations including Bersih, C4, IDEAS, Projek Sama, and others had met with the opposition to voice their dissatisfaction over current national issues.
“They are not happy, and when people are unhappy, it builds momentum. That’s why many are planning to take to the streets this Saturday.
“Don’t blame us. This is the people’s response, they are fed up because so many issues have piled up. When I asked my team what issues we should raise today, they said there are a thousand. If each issue affects a group of a thousand people, that’s already a million voices. That’s how serious it is,” he said.
Hamzah urged the authorities not to prevent or suppress the planned gathering and respect the public’s right to express themselves.
