Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairperson Azmi Khalid had initially declined to call former ministers as witnesses in their investigations into the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal.

NONE He relented only after pressure from some parliamentarians, including included Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua.

According to the verbatim transcripts from a PAC session on June 17, 2009, Pua asked that former transport minister Chan Kong Choy be called as a key witness in the investigations.

The transcripts were released on Wednesday as part of the PAC report on PKFZ which cited Chan for further investigations by the police and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Committee (MACC).

"In the previous PAC session, you (Azmi) had rejected the suggestion to call key witnesses, like former ministers who are clearly and obviously involved in this matter, like Chan Kong Choy," says Pua according to the transcript.

Pua also pushed for another former transport minister, Ling Liong Sik, to be called as a key witness, too.

Handicapped by lack of power

Azmi's main reason for rejecting the suggestion was that PAC has no power of prosecution.

This, he notes, means they cannot probe further, even in the case where the minister admits fault.

dap 2010 budget rocket cafe 071009 tony pua 01 "We just don't have the power... if we call them, they may say, 'I had actually made a mistake...' (But) we don't have the power to go down to the ground and look deeper. We cannot go through files and all that. Only the MACC can do that," he said.

Pua ( right ) however pursued the matter further. He laid out his arguments in support of Ipoh Timur parliamentarian Lim Kit Siang's call for Azmi to step down as chairperson to avoid a conflict of interest as he was a former cabinet member.

"I personally do not think that you have any vested interest in the matter but at the same time we must prove to the public that PAC is serious about this... the public must not perceive that justice is not being done," Pua said.

Importance of being neutral

He added that in any court, a judge will recuse himself so the case is not just tried fairly, but is also seen to be tried fairly.

pkr weekly pc 310108 william leong This was supported by Selayang parliamentarian William Leong (right) who said it was important to protect the PAC from being perceived as biased.

Azmi, however, did not step down as chairperson as most PAC members felt that there was no conflict of interest, and that the chairperson had acted in a neutral and fair manner.

"Since the PAC was formed, I have not seen evidence that our chairperson is one-sided or that he has abused his power," said Gelang Patah MP Tan Ah Geng.

Azmi also noted that everything that occurs at the PAC sessions will be recorded verbatim with the transcripts made available to the public.

"I am confident that those reading the transcripts will know that I have not acted with biasness," he said.

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