Kit Siang doesn’t fully understand Parliament’s rules, says Mas Ermieyati

 

Mas Ermieyati Samsudin said the Auditor-General’s Report falls under the purview of the PAC, not Parliament. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman Mas Ermieyati Samsudin has hit out against DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang for his “shallow understanding” of parliamentary rules.

Lim had called for the Masjid Tanah MP to step down after the opposition bloc unanimously opposed the motion to examine the 2021 Auditor-General’s Report earlier this week.

He alleged that Mas Ermieyati of Perikatan Nasional had “kowtowed” to PN’s wishes, forgoing her independence as the PAC chairman.

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“Lim, as a seasoned parliamentarian, should be aware of the special rights conferred to the PAC to examine the report.

“Such a baseless statement shows that Lim disregards these rights and uses parliamentary debate as a political tool,” Mas Ermieyati said in a statement.

Earlier this week, a shouting match erupted in Parliament over the motion to debate the report, with the opposition claiming that doing so contravened the standing orders.

PN chief whip Takiyuddin Hassan said the report had been vetted by the PAC and further debate would only waste the Dewan Rakyat’s time, while Mas Ermieyati said the report fell under the purview of the PAC, not Parliament.

Government backbenchers accused the opposition of not wanting the supposed misdeeds from the PN-led former administration to come to light.

In her statement today, Mas Ermieyati said all issues raised during the debate, especially the financial management of the Covid-19 pandemic, would be investigated further by the PAC.

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She criticised the government’s effort to table the audit report as “political rhetoric”, and said nothing was achieved by the debate.

“Instead of questioning my credibility as the PAC chairman, it would be better for Lim to ask the Speaker.

“The PAC report (on the Covid-19 vaccines and ventilator procurement) is more transparent and complete because it carries statements from ministry chiefs that were involved in the procurement and management of the ministry’s finances,” she said.

Yesterday, Mas Ermieyati had said the PAC would summon the secretaries-general of the health ministry and the science, technology, and innovation ministry to find out more about expired Covid-19 vaccines and faulty ventilators supplied to the government. - FMT