COMMENT It would appear as if Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chief Hasan Arifin is a party to the 1MDB scandal, if he chooses not to summon business tycoon Low Taek Jho.

Or, at least, it would be obvious to ordinary Malaysians that he is under the thumb of someone higher up who knows the extent of the scandal, and would rather not allow the 34-year-old tycoon to appear before the joint parliamentary committee and unintentionally say something that would rock the boat further.

In my opinion, Jho Low - as he is popularly known - could be a big liability to whoever he is collaborating with, as his flamboyant lifestyle betrays the character of the person who is ever so often associated with 1MDB.

For example, as DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang pointed out , we want to know whether the money that was used to sponsor Korean superstar Psy's 2013 performance at Han Chiang College had come from 1MDB.

For me, I am interested to know whether Low was behind the special appearance by Psy, since Low himself had revealed that he was the elections campaign director in the 13th general elections.

Moreover, based on numerous news reports we have also learnt that Psy is a personal friend of Low, and was a special guest at Low’s parties.

Represent the public interest

As its name suggests, the PAC should represent the interests of the public who want to know how Low is linked to the 1MDB. The question has been raised time and again, and it is time that Low stands before the PAC to explain his position.

Besides, it is also in Low's interest to appear before the PAC to explain his side of the story - if he really has nothing to hide.

This would be a good opportunity for Low to prove that most of us were wrong with our own speculations that because he is flamboyant, capable of splashing his money around, and preparing to divulge that he was the man behind BN’s elections campaign in Penang, he must therefore be a liability.

As Malaysians, we are interested to find out how Low’s name had been dragged through the mud of the 1MDB scandal, or is he being made a scapegoat for someone else’s sins?

Low can explain to the PAC when he is questioned by the committee.

Hasan, therefore, should not block any attempt for the PAC to summon Low for an enquiry. It would not do justice for Low if Hasan refuses to call the former to appear before the PAC.

On that note, Hasan should also extend an invitation to finance minister and 1MDB advisory committee chairperson, Najib Abdul Razak, to the public hearing.

Without these two personalities, the PAC’s conclusion would be flawed. Hence, no parliamentarian - nor even the Conference of Rulers - should accept such a report based on an incomplete investigation.

STEPHEN NG is an ordinary citizen with an avid interest in following political developments in the country since 2008.