Works Minister S Samy Vellu has challenged the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to cite him for contempt of parliament for refusing to attend the committee's meeting on June 22.

According to Bernama , he said PAC has the right to call anyone to its meeting and take action against those who did not show up.

"Let them take action," he said when asked whether he will attend the PAC's meeting.

The veteran politician said he was prepared for action to be taken against him for missing the meeting.

"They can (take action against me). I am all prepared for it," he said.

However, Samy Vellu stressed that any action against him must be in accordance with the law.

"We still have laws. This is a democratic nation. Don't take things for granted, don't abuse power," he warned PAC.

Wasting precious time

He reiterated that the Works Ministry's director-general would not be attending all the PAC meetings as "he has so much work to do".

"They make it a habit to ask my DG to attend their meetings all the time. We have work to do for the people. We promised the people and the prime minister to work hard.

"If (PAC) meetings take up too much of our precious time, then the people and the government will lose out," he said.

Samy Vellu was responding to PAC deputy chairperson Dr Tan Seng Giaw who warned that the minister could be punished for barring his ministry's officers from attending PAC meetings.

Previously, Samy Vellu told PAC chairperson Shahrir Abdul Samad to stop meddling in the affairs of the ministry by constantly calling ministry officers to attend its meetings.

He said he would ask the ministry's director-general to give written answers to questions from PAC in future.

His remark was prompted by Shahrir's call to the ministry to negotiate with Gerbang Perdana Sdn Bhd to reduce its claim for RM100 million compensation for the cancellation of the 'scenic bridge' to replace the Johor Causeway.

The minister said the ministry knew how to evaluate the compensation request as it was "not as stupid as they (PAC) think".

Matrade controversy

In another development, the Works Ministry has asked the Companies Commission of Malaysia to investigate Perangsang International Sdn Bhd (PISB) and identify those responsible for the delay in completing the Matrade building in Kuala Lumpur.

Samy Vellu said the Public Works Department sent a letter to the commission on Monday.

"We will wait for the outcome of the commission's investigation," he said.

He stressed that those responsible would not be allowed to go scot-free although PISB was no longer in existence after it was sold by its parent company.

"Somebody who does a big mistake cannot just close his firm and run away. He has to answer (for it)," he said.

Samy Vellu said PISB has yet to pay the late completion penalty amounting to RM95 million for the period from Jan 4, 1999 to March 28, 2005.

"They must pay, by whatever means. We can't just close our eyes," he added.

The delay escalated the construction cost of the recently completed Matrade building from RM167 million to RM287.5 million including RM64.8 million for repairs.

Malaysiakini reported on Tuesday that the Selangor government sold PISB for RM2 to a shell company. It was later dissolved and thus not a single sen was paid to the federal government.