A series of flip-flops in government policy has PKR leaders pondering whether Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's reform plans are being hamstrung by an uncooperative deputy.

PKR communications director Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said that the latest case of backpedalling comes in form of the parliamentary select committee (PSC) on electoral reforms.

NONE"The flip-flop syndrome that plagued the previous administration continued when the prime minister appears to concede to (Deputy Prime Minister) Muhyiddin Yassin and then claimed that elections could be held any time and would not be dependent on the outcome of the select committee," Nik Nazmi (left) told a press conference today.

Najib had on Aug 15 said that the PSC was intended to ensure integrity for the coming general election but dismissed calls to put off the general election until after the committee completed its work.

Unsatisfied with Nik Nazmi's theory, reporters asked him to substantiate his claim further, to which he replied that his hypothesis was "logical".

"When the Najib said any stadium (can be used for the Bersih rally), the Home Ministry said only a stadium in Selangor can and Najib followed. Now, Muhyiddin says something, and then Najib says that election can be called anytime."

A day after the announcement of the PSC, Muhyiddin said that there were no problems with the electoral system and that the committee would merely make the system better.

The jarring positions of the country's top two leaders have fuelled speculation that Muhyiddin is in favour of the status quo and therefore unsupportive of Najib's reform efforts.

"People used to make jokes about (Najib's wife) Rosmah (Mansor)  running the country, now it is as if Muhyiddin is running the country," Nik Nazmi said.

'Let opposition lead accounts committee'

In light of the PSC controversy, Nik Nazmi also called on the federal government to emulate the Selangor government's move to appoint an opposition leader as the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairperson.

"We had moved a motion to amend the standing order so that it will be a tradition that the oppositon leader leads the PAC in the state assembly - but it was rejected by the BN.

"But I'm sure that Pakatan will not reject such an appointment," he said.

This, Nik Nazmi added, was convention in developed democracies, including India, which has had an opposition leader leading its PAC since 1967.

Immediately after the PSC on electoral reform was announced, DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang had called for the committee to be chaired by the opposition.

VIDEO | 4.48 mins