KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 21 – The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman Datuk Hasan Ariffindoes hold a press conference at the Parliament Lobby here on Tuesday said PAC don’t not have any power to expel any of its members which also including Petaling Jaya Utara Member of Parliament, Tony Pua.
“There was no agenda to sack any of the PAC members chosen by the Selection Committee and the main objective of the PAC now was merely to carry out investigation on the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB). We do not have (the) power to remove him (Tony), it is not under our jurisdiction, we merely want to discuss the principle of the committee’s integrity, the integrity of PAC members,” said Hasan.
He was commenting on statements made by several opposition Members of Parliament including Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Gelang Patah), Lim Guan Eng (DAP-Bagan) and Pua himself on the position of the Petaling Jaya Utara MP in the committee. Earlier at a press conferenceTuesday, Kit Siang raised the question whether the new chairman of the PAC had any agenda to remove Tony Pua besides describing him as not being serious about having the first meeting of the PAC.
Explaining the matter, Hasan said as the newly appointed chairman, he would only have the first meeting of the PAC after the new members of the committee had been appointed by the Selection Committee. He said by this week, the Parliament’s Select Committee will appoint the remaining PAC members and, yes, they will also can have the first meeting. After getting the names, he said he will also immediately call for the meeting.
