'Nazri Aziz, too, answerable for what he tells Parliament'

Cabinet ministers, including de facto Law Minister Nazri Abdul Aziz, are personally responsible for what they say in Parliament.

They cannot excuse themselves on grounds that they were merely reading out what their officers prepared, says Batu MP Chua Tian Chang.

"A minister can modify what is given by his officers.

"He can choose which sentences to use in Parliament, and must be satisfied with all evidence handed to him," the PKR vice-president, better known as Tian Chua, told a press conference at the party headquarters today.

Tian Chua was responding to Nazri's statement yesterday that there was no conflict of interest in his son allegedly using timber tycoon Michael Chia's luxury car.

Nazri said this is because he was merely reading out what was provided by the Attorney-General’s Chambers and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission when he told the Parliament that Chia has been cleared of corruption, and he has no power over these agencies. 

Tian Chua said questions during the Dewan Rakyat’s question time could be divided into two categories- those directed to government agencies and its head, and those directed to ministers. 

He added that if a minister is found to be misleading the Parliament, he could even be referred to the parliamentary privileges committee for disciplinary action. 

When asked if he was alluding that Nazri is lying in Parliament, Tian Chua reiterated that he was accusing him of conflict of interest. 

He also challenged Nazri to show proof to back his statements that there was no element of corruption in Chia’s RM40 million political donation to Sabah Umno and that Hong Kong’s Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) has cleared him. 

“He must have it (evidence). If not, he cannot say ‘I don’t know. I only read out what is provided by my officers.’ 

“No way! A minister cannot say ‘I just read out’,” he said.