PAC: LCS proceedings disclosure a violation of standing order

 

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said the act of disclosing information or documents submitted to the committee is a violation of Parliament’s Standing Order and interferes with its investigation.

“The PAC takes a serious view on those who publish any information and documents submitted to the PAC before the committee submits its reports to the council (Parliament).

“This action clearly violates Standing Order 85 and Section 9(m) of the Parliamentary Council (Privileges and Powers) Act 1952 (Act 347), and therefore, interferes with the investigations, conclusions, and recommendations of the PAC,” its chairperson Mas Ermieyati Samsudin said.

Mas Ermieyati (above, centre) stated that the rules only applied to members of PAC and the Dewan Rakyat, not the media.

In addition, she requested media practitioners to only obtain developments on the proceedings from the PAC, especially herself, and not from “unauthentic sources”.

Earlier, the Perikatan Nasional lawmaker expressed regret at the actions of a witness, who testified before an ongoing committee hearing on the littoral combat ship (LCS) project, in revealing the essence of the proceedings to the media.

She said that the PAC had written to Dewan Rakyat speaker Johari Abdul on the violation.

In addition, the Masjid Tanah MP also informed that two reports regarding the development of the LCS for the use of the Royal Malaysia Navy will be tabled in Parliament for debate during the sitting in September.

The reports, she said, would concern the progress of the LCS construction process, which includes the period from October 2022 until May 2023 and from June 2023 until September 2023.

She said the report came after the PAC summoned three witnesses - Defence Ministry deputy secretary-general (Development) Shahrazat Ahmad, Boustead Naval Shipyard (BNS) chairperson Ahmad Nazim Abd Rahman, and BNS CEO Azhar Jumaat.

“PAC would like to thank the Defence Ministry, the navy, and BNS for their cooperation.

“Next, PAC will call the Defence Ministry in September to get an explanation on the progress of the LCS construction project for June 2023 until September 2023,” she added. - Mkini