Name absent members, DAP tells PAC chairman

Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman Datuk Hasan Arifin must name members who are not in the country and state the reason for their absence, which had resulted in postponement of the auditor-general's final report on 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), said DAP's Lim Kit Siang. The Gelang Patah MP said it was unacceptable for the PAC meeting set for today and tomorrow to be postponed and that Hasan had justified it by stating that "most PAC members are overseas". He said notice of the meeting had been sent to PAC members two weeks ago. Lim added that the absent PAC members should be referred to the Committee of Rights and Privileges for disciplinary action unless they had a good reason for going overseas after the finalisation of the two PAC meetings for today and tomorrow. "Let's have a headcount of the 14 members of PAC – who are overseas, why they are overseas, when they planned their overseas trip, or they should be condemned at the bar of public opinion even if they are not referred to the parliamentary Committee of Rights and Privileges for gross dereliction of duty. "In the first place, why must all PAC members be present to hear the auditor-general's final report on 1MDB, when all PAC members had been given adequate notice of the meetings and the final audit report would be available in printed form, as it would have to be tabled in Parliament together with PAC's report? "Secondly, why are 'most PAC members overseas' when the PAC meetings today and tomorrow were fixed a fortnight ago with their full knowledge and agreement?" Lim said in a statement today. – February 24, 2016. MORE TO COME]]>