Debate PAC’s report instead of questioning me, Mas tells Kit Siang

 

Instead of questioning her credibility, Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairperson Mas Ermieyati Samsudin said Lim Kit Siang should ask the Dewan Rakyat speaker why PAC’s reports are not being debated in Parliament.

She pointed out that debating the PAC’s reports in Parliament is one of the issues championed by the DAP veteran’s party.

“Debating the PAC report should be a priority for MPs because it is a report produced by a parliamentary committee.

“Moreover, the reports are transparent and come complete with testimonies by witnesses comprising ministry controlling officers, namely the secretary-general who has executive powers and has full responsibility over the ministry’s procurement and financial matters,” she said in a statement today.

On Tuesday, Mas Ermieyati joined her Perikatan Nasional colleagues in opposing a government motion to debate the 2021 Auditor-General’s Report. When the debate went ahead anyway - the first for an auditor-general’s report - the opposition bench was notably empty.

This led the former Iskandar Puteri MP to argue that Mas Ermieyati is not fit for her role as the PAC chairperson, and should be replaced by her deputy Wong Shu Qi.

DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang

“This would also avoid the invidious position of Mas Ermieyati having to preside over the examination of the 2021 and 2022 government accounts when PN formed the government, and the invidious position of Wong having to lead the examination of the 2023 accounts when Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s unity government was in the saddle.

“It would be better if Mas Emieyati suggest these changes in the PAC chairperson for the three years to examine the auditor-general's report for 2021, 2022 and 2023,” Lim said.

Check and balance

It should be noted that Wong is a government MP with DAP. Since 2018, the PAC has been chaired by an opposition member to enhance the opposition’s role as a check-and-balance against the government.

PAC reports are tabled to the Dewan Rakyat once completed but have never been debated in the august house before.

Meanwhile, Mas Ermieyati countered that the debate on Tuesday was unproductive, and the PAC has already announced yesterday that it would investigate issues raised by MPs during the debate on the auditor-general’s report.

“My question to Lim is, what did the government gain from the debate? It was all political rhetoric and all issues raised in the auditor-general’s report are currently being addressed by the authorities.

“Meanwhile in the PAC, all issues in the auditor-general’s report will be thoroughly investigated before a PAC report containing its conclusions and recommendations is tabled to the people and the Parliament.

“Rather than questioning my credibility as PAC chairperson, it is better for Lim to ask the Dewan Rakyat speaker about debating the PAC report because this is what was championed all this while by MPs from Lim’s party,” she said. - Mkini