Dewan Rakyat Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia has given a 'lame excuse' in shooting down the proposal for a live telecast of the Public Account Committee (PAC) hearing into 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), the DAP says.

"Pandikar has claimed the witnesses will not enjoy immunity, but this does not stand to reason," the party’s MP for Segambut, Lim Lip Eng, said today.

"This is because PAC will record the hearing and and compile the testimonies (and its findings) into reports. The reports will be made public," Lim told a press conference at Parliament lobby.

"The witnesses have to be fully responsible for what they say in the hearings, since their statements will be a matter of public record," added Thomas Su (DAP-Ipoh Timor, photo ), who was also present at the press conference.

"Since the speaker has publicly called for serious parliamentary reforms to begin, the first step to show his sincerity on this front is to suspend Article 85 of Standing Orders and allow the live telecast of the PAC hearing," Su said.

Article 85 of Standing Orders bars the publication of evidence taken before any select committee.

Lim stressed that Article 90 of Standing Orders, the speaker has the power to suspend Article 85.

 

DAP previously pressed Pandikar to walk the talk for parliamentary reform by allowing the PAC's proceedings on 1MDB to be broadcast live.

DAP's Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng had proposed for Standing Order 85 to be suspended.

PAC chairperson Nur Jazlan also stated that he had no qualms with a live broadcast.

However, Pandikar insisted that the rule stands and a live broadcast would not happen.

He added that a live broadcast would render moot the presentation of the findings of such committees to the House.