PAC meeting called off after no-show by MACC chief
Written by Chan Kok Leong, The Edge
The Public Accounts Committee’s meeting on the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) affair was called off after Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief’s no-show today.
Despite getting a near-full quorum of 13 members of Parliament, PAC chairman Datuk Seri Azmi Khaled decided to postpone the meeting to June 23 after MACC decided to send its investigation director instead of chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Said Hamdan.
MACC was represented by investigation director Datuk Mohd Shukri Abdul.
Azmi told reporters at his office that he will not withdraw himself from heading the committee’s probe into the PKFZ matter as he has no "vested interest".
According to the former natural resources and environmental minister, the majority of PAC members were supportive of him staying as the chairman.
"We had a short discussion on whether I should withdraw and most of the members felt that I’m transparent enough and have no vested interest in this investigation," said Azmi.
"Two opposition members had also lent their support to me," he added.
However, the Padang Besar member of Parliament (MP) declined to name the opposition MPs who backed him.
"More importantly is that all decisions of PAC is made collectively and there is no non-partisan decisions."
The meeting was attended by 13 of the 14 PAC members. Besides Azmi, the others were deputy chairman Dr Tan Seng Giaw (Kepong-DAP), Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed (Pulai-BN), Tan Ah Eng (Gelang Patah-BN), Hamim Samuri (Ledang-BN), Datuk Seri Mojilip Bumburing@Wilfred (Tuaran-BN), Liang Teck Meng (Simpang Renggam-BN), Alexander Nanta Linggi (Kapit-BN), Abdul Rahman Dahlan (Kota Belud-BN), Kamarul Baharin Abbas (Teluk Kemang-BN), William Leong (Selayang-PKR), Kamarudin Jaafar (Tumpat-Pas) and Tony Pua (PJ Utara-DAP).
Earlier today, DAP veteran and member of Parliament Lim Kit Siang (Ipoh Timur-DAP) had asked Azmi to withdraw himself as he was a cabinet minister when support letters were given by the transport ministry to give a soft loan of RM4.6 billion to Port Klang Authority for the project.
On Ahmad Said’s absence, Azmi said that he probably has more "important things to attend to".
When asked if PAC would take action against him, Azmi said: "I don’t think that is necessary yet. But if he fails to attend our meetings a few more times, then we may have to decide again".
PAC was tasked with probing the PKFZ matter to see if there was any wrongdoing. The full PKFZ report by accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers was distributed to MPs on Monday.
The PKFZ issue was first discussed by the PAC on Sept 6, 2007. Then chairman Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad (Johor Bahru-BN) and committee members had also made on-site visits to PKFZ.
