Speaker issues gag order on PAC

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 4 — Parliament has asked select committees, including the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) which scrutinises the spending of taxpayers’ money, not to speak to the press until full presentation of their findings to the Dewan Rakyat.

In a letter made available to the media, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia (picture) said this was intended to protect the Majlis Mesyuarat’s (the House’s) “right and privilege”.

He referred to Rule 85 of the majlis mesyuarat of the Dewan Rakyat which, he said, “clearly states a prohibition for anyone to issue testimony that is given before a Dewan Rakyat Select Committee before statements regarding matters in a committee’s investigation is presented to the majlis mesyuarat.

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He said a parliamentary select committee “is an extension of the Dewan Rakyat” and its actual function was to represent the majlis mesyuarat.

“It is the right and privilege of the majlis mesyuarat to be informed first of any findings of a committee. Therefore, if a testimony is exposed to any quarters, then it would indirectly erode (menghakis) the rights and privilege of majlis mesyuarat.

“...to ensure the integrity of the majlis mesyuarat’s right and privilege remains protected, I am of the view that appointed members of select committees don’t disclose any statement or discussion about matters that are investigated or presented by committees to other quarters including in the form of press statement or press release or hold press conferences before the committee’s statement has been fully presented in majlis mesyuarat.”

In order to prevent “manipulation” and exploitation of statements or testimonies, he said that preventive action will be taken on those who went against the House’s Rule 85.

The letter was dated June 27, 2012 and there was a handwritten note dated October 2 addressing the letter to members of the PAC.