The Auditor-General's Department will be removed from the Prime Minister's Department and put under a parliamentary select committee, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today.

He said the cabinet in a special meeting on anti-corruption measures today agreed to set up the select committee in a move to devolve the prime minister's department's and the government's power in the execution of anti-corruption enforcement measures.

He said the committee would also decide on the appointment of the auditor-general and members of the MACC as well as budget allocations for the two bodies.

"We are proposing to set up a parliamentary select committee, which will appoint members of the MACC, for example.

"Thus, after their appointment, if the need arises to take action against any of them for any wrongdoing, then the action will be taken by Parliament through this select committee.

"Auditing is a very important part (in government), as it is through audits that we can know whether the country or the government's financial management has been carried out according to the law and regulations.

“Currently, auditing is under the prime minister and choosing the auditor-general is done by the PM through advice to the Yang di Pertuan Agong.

"But now, we will transfer the appointment of the auditor general to this parliamentary select committee. This means, the PM and government do not have the power to punish, or take any action like transferring or demoting," he told a press conference.

Mahathir added the decision was part of the Pakatan Harapan administration’s efforts to tighten management of the country's finances.

"Of course, we will need time to see the effects of these efforts. We are hoping that these actions will be able to lessen corruption."

Jho Low's jet next

On the government's plan to retrieve fugitive financier Jho Low's private jet (above), Mahathir said it will be done "as soon as we can make it fly".

"It has been lying on the ground for quite a long time and planes which are not very often (flown), need to be serviced and checked.

"So we will have checks done and bring it here," he said

On Sunday, Mahathir told reporters that the government must turn its attention towards bringing the jet back after the 1MDB-linked super-yacht Equanimity sailed into Malaysian shores.

Singapore reportedly seized the US$35 million Bombardier Global 5000 jet in February where it has been grounded since.

Both the jet and the US$250 million yacht are assets which the US Department of Justice (DOJ) is looking to seize as part of its US$1 billion civil forfeiture suit involving sums which it says were misappropriated from 1MDB.