Ministers to testify before panel over MySejahtera issue

 

PETALING JAYA: Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin and Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz are among those who will testify before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) over the MySejahtera app controversy, says its chairman Wong Kah Woh.

“It is appropriate for the PAC to hold proceedings related to the issue of MySejahtera,” he said in a statement yesterday.

Wong noted that the parliamentary bi-partisan committee was empowered under Standing Order 77(1)(d) to probe matters which “the committee feels compelled to so do”.

To kick-start the proceedings, likely to commence in April, the committee intends to call Khairy and Tengku Zafrul as witnesses.

“The date and time of the proceedings will be made known in due time,” said Wong.

On Tuesday, Wong said the PAC was considering a probe into the procurement of MySejahtera and personal data protection.

This comes after several leaders, MPs and civil society leaders called for more transparency and accountability over the matter.

Khairy, who has since clarified the issues raised over the proposed procurement exercise and given assurance over data protection, is expected to address the issue in Dewan Negara today.

The Health Minister had written to Senate president Tan Sri Rais Yatim, agreeing for the MySejahtera issue to be raised and debated in Dewan Negara.

Several civil rights bodies such as Transparency International Malaysia supported moves for the bi-partisan parliamentary committee to look into the procurement of the MySejahtera app.

Meanwhile, Wong said representatives from the Prime Minister’s Department would also be called to testify before the PAC.

The hearings, he added, would revolve around cost, data protection and steps to prevent the data from being misused. - Star