Transparency International (TI) has suggested a way to settle a quarrel between Selangor Public Accounts Committee (PAC) members as to who should foot the bill for the 'educational trip' to Cairo that was called off at the last minute.

TI president Param Cumaraswamy said in a statement today that the bill should be sent to the government official who was responsible for approving the scandal-ridden junket in the first place.

The corruption watchdog, noting that the fault-finding is being wrongly targeted, said this should not be directed at persons allegedly responsible for cancellation of the trip.

"Any cancellation fee must be borne personally by whoever in the state government who was responsible for approving this junket. It should not be paid out of public funds," he said.

Param was commenting on the public outcry over the PAC's planned eight-day trip to Egypt, which has been derided by certain quarters as merely a holiday 'junket' for its members.

Last Saturday, Subang Jaya state assemblyperson Lee Hwa Beng - who was among those scheduled to join the 'study tour' - had defended the itinerary, which was criticised for such exotic inclusions as a belly-dance dinner cruise and visits to tourist sites.

Lee said the trip would be an "eye-opener to see the parliamentary system in Egypt and to learn from another country", although it was evident that less than three days had been set aside for official appointments.

'Set standards'

Commenting on this, Param reminded the PAC that its role is that of "the state legislature's watchdog on state government spending (that) should be seen setting standards, not undermining them".

The committee is responsible for oversight on public spending, to identify financial irregularities and prevent wastage of public funds.

"To date, the public has not been told exactly what educational benefit this tour is to the PAC. What unique public accounting policies and procedures Egypt has which Malaysia does not have?" he asked.

PAC members Lee Hwa Beng and Ahmad Bhari Abdul Rahman had blamed the cancellation of the tour on the eleventh-hour pullout by the committee's sole DAP member Ng Suee Lim, who is Sekinchan state assembly representative.

After he revealed details of the itinerary, it was revised. Even then, only three PAC members remained ready to continue with the trip, with departure set for last Saturday. The lack of quorum then resulted in the visit being called off.

Lee and Ahmad Bahri have told the press that Ng should pay the cancellation fee, as the state government had made full payment for the trip.

Ng, however, responded yesterday by challenging his detractors to settle the matter in court.

TI's comments echoed that of Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang, who yesterday called for a survey on public opinion.

He said this should determine whether such trips are in fact educational and if they would make PAC members "more effective custodians of the propriety and integrity of public funds".