Is Najib hiding something? Audit report still missing after 4 days of Budget debate

Pakatan Rakyat parliamentarians are fuming. Parliament is about to end second week, and yet, the Auditor-General's report has not been presented to the House. They are also worried in case there were astounding discoveries in the report that Prime Minister Najib Razak's government was trying to hide.

“We’re planning to file a motion regarding this matter because today is the fourth day we’re debating the Budget 2012, but the report is still absent,” PAS MP for Pokok Sena Mahfuz Omar told a media conference at the Parliament lobby on Thursday.

He is also puzzled why the report can be absent when some states including Kelantan have already received their respective audit reports. He called on the Public Accounts Committee to be responsible and take action, rather than wait until they were pushed to do so.

“In other countries, PAC is chaired by an opposition representative so it is easy to urge the government but in Malaysia, PAC is headed by a government representative, that is why they are slow,” said Mahfuz.

Take responsibility

Tumpat Member of Parliament Kamarudin Jaafar wants PAC chairman Azmi Khalid to personally take responsibility and explain the matter.

“We call for Azmi Khalid to explain because this is really embarrassing. After four days, there is still no audit report,” said Azmi.

PKR MP for Sungai Petani Johari Abdul said the Auditor-General's office was shocked when he informed them that Parliament had still not receive the report.

“The department officer was shocked and told us that the Auditor-General himself was happy because the report was completed earlier than last year. This is what we are wondering about. Where did the report get stuck at? Is it at the Parliament or in the hands of a certain minister?” asked Johari.

Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim had raised the matter himself last week, saying that Najib should have made sure the Audit report had been duly presented before tabling the Budget 2012.

"Unfortunately, we are debating the budget today, but the Auditor-General’s report has not been presented,” Anwar told the House last week.

Malaysia Chronicle