Penangites would soon be told the truth behind the alleged sand theft in Kg Kenanga, Balik Pulau.

NONE The Penang State Legislative Assembly's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairperson Jagdeep Singh Deo ( left ), said investigations into the alleged activities is due to end next week.

Jagdeep, who Dato Keramat assemblyperson, said several witnesses, including the police, had attended the committee meeting yesterday to assist in the investigations.

"The PAC will meet on another date sometime next week to hear more from witnesses," he said.

"After next week, they will start deliberations and decide on the issue."

Jagdeep, when contacted right after the meeting, declined to comment further on the matter except to say "please wait for another week".

The probe has seen representatives from the various government departments called by the committee as witnesses.

Not buying time

The lawyer had earlier dismissed suggestions by opposition representatives from BN that the PAC would be used by the Pakatan state government to buy time.

NONE PAC had been accused of protecting Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng's ( right ) perceived incompetence in tackling the issue.

However, Jagdeep had dismissed the allegations by saying that the nine-member PAC also included four representatives from BN.

Other members in the committee are Koay Teng Hai (DAP-Pulau Tikus), Mohd Salleh Man (PAS-Permatang Pasir), Sim Tze Tzin (PKR-Pantai Jerejak), and Maktar Shapee (PKR-Sungai Bakap).

The Umno reps in the committee are Syed Ameruddin Syed Ahmad (Bayan Lepas), Muhamad Farid Saad (Pulau Betong), Dr Hilmi Yahaya (Teluk Bahang) and Ariff Shah Omar Shah (Seberang Jaya).

Farid had disqualified himself from sitting in the inquiry before the committee started its probe, citing conflict of interest.

The political secretary to the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Nor Mohamed Yakob, had earlier lodged the police report on the alleged sand theft.

Recently, police detained a suspect and seized two excavators near the spot to assist investigations.

The committee had visited the alleged crime spot last month and found ‘evidence' of five sand craters the size of a football fields.

Mining activities have been allegedly going on for about six months, however since the probe began, the area had been cordoned off by the police and the illegal sand mining seemed to have ceased.