Umno vice president Hishammuddin Hussein has backed the suggestion to hold a special parliamentary session to elect a new Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairperson.

 

This is so that the committee’s investigation on 1MDB can proceed, instead of having to wait for the parliamentary session slated for October to fill the vacancy.

 

“I agree with his (BN Backbencher’s Club chairperson Shahrir Abdul Samad) view, so that the investigation can continue. I don’t want this matter to be disrupted.

 

“The longer it drags on, the more speculation it raises,” he said at a press conference today after officiating the Pandan Umno division’s delegate’s meeting.

 

Yesterday, Bernama quoted Shahrir ( photo ) urging Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to hold the special parliamentary seating to fill the vacancies in the PAC, following the July 28 cabinet reshuffling.

 

“This is the consensus of the BNBBC members because we all are members of Parliament and we know the importance of the institution.

 

“I have conveyed (the decision) to the prime minister and he had agreed that we will have a one-day meeting. Then, we will vote to elect the new PAC chairman,” he reportedly said.

Posts forfeited

The cabinet reshuffling saw four PAC members from BN including its chairperson Nur Jazlan Mohamed, being appointed to ministerial and deputy ministerial positions, meaning that they would have to forfeit their posts.

 

The move, together with the removal of then attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail from office, was seen to be a move to cripple investigations on 1MDB.

 

In his speech earlier today, Hishammuddin also reiterated his call for the 1MDB issue to be resolved while ensuring that no government money is spent on bailing it out.

 

He noted that Finance Minister II Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah ( photo ) is overseeing 1MDB’s restructuring exercise and a resolution is promised by the end of the year.

 

Hishammuddin added that any wrong in the 1MDB should be punished, and said there should be transparency in the investigations.

 

He also urged Umno members to be patient while the investigation runs its course, lest the party’s enemies take advantage of the squabbling within Umno.

 

“When we hold onto principles, people outside may be angry at us, and that’s understandable. But if we are too busy with the issues of the day, how are we going to follow the investigation and ensure accountability?

 

“How can we ensure that we can correct the accusation that they (1MBD) had government funding and so on? We know that the investigation is not finished.

 

“So I urge Umno Pandan to give time, and I have already said before, this is my principle as vice president. Please give room for us to investigate, we can’t run from the truth,” said Hishammuddin.

 

Meanwhile, when asked about the transfer of two Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officers who had been transferred to the Prime Minister’s Department, Hishammuddin said it was not fair for him to comment until he finds out the background on what happened.

 

The two officers were MACC special operations division director Bahri Mohamad Zin and MACC strategic communication director Rohaizad Yaakob, the former of whom was involved in investigating the former 1MDB subsidiary SRC International Sdn Bhd and the alleged transfers into Najib’s personal bank account.

 

Thus far, two ministers - Paul Low and Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar - have voiced concern over the transfers, while Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had said the transfers were merely “administrative” .