PAC mulls making its 1MDB findings public

PAC deputy chairman Dr Tan Seng Giaw says the committee is considering the decision to publish a brief report on its 1MDB probe before investigations are suspended pending appointment of new members. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Kamal Ariffin, August 4, 2015.

Faced with a temporary freeze on its current proceedings, Parliament's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) is considering the release of a brief report on its inquiry on 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), due to public interest.

Deputy chairman Dr Tan Seng Giaw said there are various speculations on the state investment firm's state of affairs and the public is "yearning for the truth".

"Under public pressure, PAC may have to come out with a brief report of how far it has proceeded with the 1MDB inquiry before the proceedings are suspended for nearly three months," he said in Parliament today.

All PAC proceedings including the highly anticipated hearings into 1MDB has been temporarily suspended pending appointments of its new chairman and three other members.

The bipartisan committee lost the four in last Tuesday's Cabinet reshuffle, which saw the quartet appointed as ministers and deputy ministers.

Parliamentary rules state that a member of the administration cannot be in PAC.

While Dr Tan and other opposition members of the committee say PAC can carry on with the proceedings, Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia, in citing Standing Order 77(3), declared that all PAC proceedings, including its ongoing inquiry into 1MDB, had to be temporarily suspended pending the appointment of a new chairman and members.

Pandikar's view has been disputed by PAC opposition members as well as the Bar Council, which said the committee could still function as it had the required quota, and that Dr Tan as deputy chair could take over the functions of the chairman.

Dr Tan said today while the remaining nine PAC members need to discuss what should be included in the proposed interim report, it should address matters like 1MDB’s capital, debts and its ability to pay back.

"We have to look into the current laws and the Standing Orders to ascertain what information can and cannot be publicly revealed," he said.

Asked if the PAC's proposed report will contained information in the Auditor-General interim report which had been distributed to PAC last month, PAC member Datuk Kamaruddin Jaafar answered in the affirmative while the rest of his team mates were more circumspect.

On whether the PAC’s proposed brief will contain information from the auditor-general’s interim report, PAC member Datuk Kamaruddin Jaafar answered in the affirmative.

“Yes, at the rate we are going, we are not sure if it's going to be a final report," he said.

But other members, including Dr Tan, said it would be considered.

- TMI