Did Hasan lie about PAC members being abroad, asks Kit Siang

DAP lawmaker Lim Kit Siang today questioned if Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman Datuk Hasan Arifin had deliberately lied about "most PAC members being overseas" when there was enough quorum for the scheduled PAC meeting final report on debt-laden 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB). The Gelang Patah MP challenged Hasan to prove him wrong in that the majority of PAC members were actually in the country and could attend the the meetings scheduled for yesterday and today. "Had Hasan himself scampered and scurried overseas on Tuesday to give some semblance to his 'tall tale' that 'most PAC members are overseas' to justify the last-minute cancellation of the PAC meetings yesterday and today, which even MCA and Gerakan MPs on PAC had no advance notice? "Can Hasan reveal here where he has run to overseas, and what is he doing abroad when the PAC was scheduled to meet for the important conclusive stage of the PAC investigations into the 1MDB scandal?," said Lim. In The Malaysian Insider report today, a member of the 14-member bi-partisan committee reportedly also questioned if there was a deliberate attempt to disrupt the tabling of the final audit report. The unnamed parliamentarian said Hasan was among those who had gone abroad. According to Lim, only two PAC members had gone overseas to perform the umrah – Datuk Ahmad Hamzah (Jasin) and Datuk Nawawi Ahmad (Langkawi). He criticised Hasan for postponing the fixed PAC meetings and delaying to resolve the 1MDB scandal, which had affected the country's international reputation. He also asked if Hasan could be trusted that the two postponed PAC meetings would be held in the first week of March before Parliament reconvenes on Monday, March 7. "Hasan is indeed one of a kind. In Malaysia and all over the world, everyone would want the speedy end to the mystery of the 1MDB scandal and should be pressurising the auditor-general for early submission of his final audit report. "But we have a PAC chairman who is doing the very opposite, refusing to honour the scheduled meetings for the auditor-general to submit his final audit report on 1MDB, and wanting to cause further and indefinite procrastination. "Hasan's scampering and scurrying overseas to make an infamous 'trio' of PAC members overseas is a most irresponsible and even cowardly act. "I have no confidence that Hasan could be trusted on this score! Is this the reason why Hasan has not made any public announcement as to when the PAC would meet before Parliament reconvenes of March 7 for the auditor-general to submit his final audit report on the 1MDB?," said Lim. It was decided on February 11 PAC would be briefed by the attorney-general after receiving the 1MDB report on February 24, adding that members also agreed to study the report before deciding if more witnesses should be called. The committee was expected to make a decision whether to call Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to appear to answer any queries. Najib, who is finance minister, is also chairman of 1MDB's board of advisors. – February 25, 2016.]]>