Minister in charge of parliamentary affairs Azalina Othman has said that Cabinet will not be calling a special parliamentary session to appoint a new Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairperson and fill in three other PAC vacancies.
She said that the process will only take place on Oct 19 when the Dewan Rakyat is in session. This is totally unacceptable.
But she has failed to provide any satisfactory or acceptable reason why a special parliamentary meeting cannot be held this month to do the necessary appointments so that investigations into the 1 MDB scandal can proceed without delay.
The government’s delay in calling for a special parliament meeting has further strengthened public perception that it is delaying the necessary investigations by PAC.
Surely the Prime Minister cannot be unaware of accusations that the government has sabotaged the PAC from continuing with its investigations into 1MDB scandal by promoting the PAC Chairman and three BN MPs on the PAC in the recent Cabinet reshuffle.
There is no other way Datuk Seri Najib can solve his woes on the1 MDB allegations against him other than to tell the truth.
He should therefore call a special and early parliamentary meeting for the following purpose:-
- To fully explain to the Parliament his explanations on the allegations made against him with regard to the monies deposited into his personal accounts;
- To appoint new members of the Selection Committee and the new PAC members.
The government should also give an undertaking that the PAC member most vocal on the PAC scandal , Tony Pua , will not be removed from the PAC reshuffle.
Parliament must be convened immediately to discuss current and relevant issues, like the issues above otherwise Parliament is irrelevant and will become a laughing stock to all.
The government should also be prepared to appoint an opposition lawmaker to head the new PAC, as is the practice in developed parliamentary democracies.