The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has cleared Ahmad Shabery Cheek of any discrepancy or wrongdoing over the K-Pop funding controversy during the National Youth Day celebrations last year.
Testifying before the committee today, the former youth and sports minister said the ministry merely paid early for the K-Pop concert performers in order to book their performance slot, and the money was later refunded when sponsorship came in nearing to the event.
Ahmad Shabery is currently the communications and multimedia minister.
PAC chief Nur Jazlan Mohamed said the issue was merely a "procedural" matter and it would make necessary recommendations in its final report to change some government procedures.
"PAC is satisfied with his explanation and will not be calling him again," he added.
Testifying before the committee today, the former youth and sports minister said the ministry merely paid early for the K-Pop concert performers in order to book their performance slot, and the money was later refunded when sponsorship came in nearing to the event.
Ahmad Shabery is currently the communications and multimedia minister.
PAC chief Nur Jazlan Mohamed said the issue was merely a "procedural" matter and it would make necessary recommendations in its final report to change some government procedures.
"PAC is satisfied with his explanation and will not be calling him again," he added.
Nur Jazlan also said that the ministry only spent RM 2 million of its own money for the whole event, while the rest was grouped from other ministries and sponsors before the money was parked under the Youth and Sports Ministry’s account.
“The minister wanted to do things are little differently but procedures didn’t allow it, so there was a problem with the mode of payment, that is all,” Nur Jazlan said, terming the whole thing as a misunderstanding and difference of opinion between Ahmad Shabery and the Auditor-General’s Department.
PAC did not reveal the details of the testimony as they are bound by standing orders, but Ahmad Shabery made a full disclosure about his testimony in a separate press conference at the Parliament lobby.
Shabery said that the money that came in late through sponsorship was then used by the ministry to pay for other event management costs that were supposed to be paid by the ministry itself.
He also said that the cost for the K-Pop concert in terms of direct fees to the performers was only RM900,000 while the rest of the RM1.6 million paid to the performers were fees for accommodation, and income tax charges for the promoters.
“The minister wanted to do things are little differently but procedures didn’t allow it, so there was a problem with the mode of payment, that is all,” Nur Jazlan said, terming the whole thing as a misunderstanding and difference of opinion between Ahmad Shabery and the Auditor-General’s Department.
PAC did not reveal the details of the testimony as they are bound by standing orders, but Ahmad Shabery made a full disclosure about his testimony in a separate press conference at the Parliament lobby.
Shabery said that the money that came in late through sponsorship was then used by the ministry to pay for other event management costs that were supposed to be paid by the ministry itself.
He also said that the cost for the K-Pop concert in terms of direct fees to the performers was only RM900,000 while the rest of the RM1.6 million paid to the performers were fees for accommodation, and income tax charges for the promoters.
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