KUALA LUMPUR, July 2 — Pakatan Rakyat (PR) today announced the formation of committees made up of MPs to shadow the Barisan Nasional's (BN) 25 Cabinet ministers.
PKR vice-president Azmin Ali, who made the announcement, declared that the committees formed were not exactly a shadow Cabinet, but designed to improve the quality of debate in Parliament.
“For now these committees are sufficient to play an active role in the Dewan Rakyat in articulating issues concerning the people,” said Azmin.
But the Gombak MP said that the formation of the committees was a step towards forming a shadow Cabinet.
He added that the committees had already been performing their duties for a while but the announcement had to be delayed as the coalition “had to focus on more important issues.”
DAP's Tony Pua, who was also present at the press conference, argued that the formation of a shadow Cabinet was not practical now as it was not recognised by the government, and would not receive any form of assistance from Parliament unlike in other countries.
“In our case we will not get recognition, committees will be more practical,” said Pua.
According to the list of committee members, PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang and DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang are placed under the Prime Minister's Department.
All three parties are represented in every ministry.
Since the last general election the coalition has been heavily criticised for its failure to form a shadow Cabinet.
Anwar last made the promise to form a shadow Cabinet after the Bukit Gantang by-election last April.
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