Ahmad Shabery in HOT SOUP: Parliament wants action to be taken over K-Pop event

Parliament's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has censured the Youth and Sports ministry for failing to follow financial procedures over the controversial RM1.6 million paid to K-Pop artistes for the National Youth Day celebrations last year.

In recommending that punitive action be taken against those responsible, the PAC Report on the celebration also noted that the National Sports Council (MSN) did not make any payments to the three K-Pop groups.

This contradicted former Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek's previous claim that MSN had to pay for the K-Pop concert first before the money was reimbursed through cash sponsorship later.

"The PAC recommends that the government takes punitive action against the ministry's controlling officer and related parties for failing to ensure that payments by MBM for the 2012 National Youth Day follow proper financial procedures," the PAC Report said in referring to the Malay acronym for the Malaysian Youth Council (MBM).

"Based on MSN's 2012 audited financial statement, there were no records of any payments made for the K-Pop artistes. The payments were made by MBM through funds from the ministry for the 2012 National Youth Day.

"Additionally, MBM did not prepare a complete report on the celebration until the audit was completed," the PAC Report further states, which was distributed to all MPs today.

The Auditor General Report 2012 had stated that the ministry paid RM1.6 million to bring three K-Pop groups to Malaysia for the celebrations. It contradicted earlier statements by ministry officials who had said that sponsorship funds covered the costs.

Ahmad Shabery's successor Khairy Jamaluddin, who took over the position in May, had said after the AG’s report was presented in Parliament that the ministry had paid for the concert.

However, Ahmad Shabery insisted that the ministry had received RM20 million from domestic and foreign corporate sponsors for the event.

The AG subsequently said this was not brought up by ministry officials when the audit was being done.

Ahmad Shabery, who is currently the Communication and Multimedia Minister, then volunteered to appear before the PAC to give his version of the event.

The PAC cleared Ahmad Shabery from any wrongdoing in November last year. -TMI