Fahmi: Wan Suraya resigned from civil service before appointment as Auditor-General, decision in line with Constitution

Fahmi: Wan Suraya resigned from civil service before appointment as Auditor-General, decision in line with Constitution

PUTRAJAYA, July 25 — The appointment of Datuk Seri Wan Suraya Wan Mohd Radzi as Auditor-General (A-G) was in accordance to the Federal Constitution, Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said today.

This matter was explained and confirmed by Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar during today’s Cabinet meeting, Fahmi said.

“She had also relieved her civil servant position before the time of her appointment as the Auditor-General,” Fahmi told reporters here, referring to Wan Suraya’s previous post as an administrative and diplomatic officer.

“So the Chief Secretary said there is no issue on that.”

Yesterday, deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) M. Kulasegaran, when winding up debate for the ministry, had clarified that the A-G may be appointed from among public service officers.

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He explained that Clause 1 of Article 105 of the Federal Constitution provides that the A-G shall be appointed by the King on the advice of the prime minister after consultation with the Conference of Rulers.

Referring to Article 105 read together with subparagraphs 1(1) of the First Schedule to the Audit Act 1958, the A-G may be appointed from among members of the public service and such appointment is valid.

Kulasegaran was responding to Perikatan Nasional’s Kota Bharu MP Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan, who had questioned the appointment of Wan Suraya as the A-G while still in the civil service.

Takiyuddin had in Parliament claimed that the appointment of Wan Suraya breached the Federal Constitution and could create a conflict of interest.