Perak PAC to refer ex-MB to state assembly over refusal to answer questions

IPOH, Nov 26 — The Perak Public Accounts Committee (PAC) will refer former mentri besar Datuk Seri Zambry Abd Kadir to the state assembly tomorrow for refusing to answer questions from the committee during its public hearing today.

PAC chairman Leong Cheok Keng said while the committee believe it has the power to punish those who contempt the committee, it decided not to take such action.

“Let the assembly deliberate. We do not want to exercise that cohesive and punitive power as this is first time in history a public hearing is held and we want to be a bit magnanimous,” he said, adding that it was a unanimous decision by five of the seven committee members who attended today’s meeting.

On a separate matter, Leong also recorded his displeasure with Datuk Mohd Khusairi Abu Talib and Datuk Aznel Ibrahim for failing to attend today’s meeting.

He said while Khusairi had informed the committee he would not attend as he disagreed with the public hearing, Aznel was silent on his absence.

Leong said a separate meeting would be held to discuss actions to be taken against Khusairi.

“It was unprofessional of him to disagree with the public hearing now as when we made that decision he was also present. Like the Cabinet, we practice collective responsibility. Whether he likes it or not, he has to abide by it,” he said.

He urged the duo to act professionally and if they continued to be recalcitrant, actions would be taken.

“If they are not happy to be in the bi-partisan committee, I advise them to think if they still want to remain. Otherwise we will function without them,” he said.

Later at a separate press conference, Zambry said the decision by the PAC to have a public hearing was a dark episode for the Perak assembly.

“I attended today’s hearing to fulfill the notice given to me and also to record my protest,” he told newsmen at Perak Umno building.

He said having a public hearing has never occurred before in the history of Perak assembly.

“They want to create history,” he said.

Saying the committee had ill intentions, Zambry said the PAC was being used as a political tool.

“If the hearing is held in public, classified documents will be made public,” he said.

He also schooled the committee that procedure wise it was wrong.

“They should have move a motion to refer me to PAC rather than referring me to PAC first even before completion of the Auditor-General audit,” he said.

“There is no need to be in such a rush for vengeance,” he added.