Any lawmaker can propose that action be taken against Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairperson Hasan Arifin.

PAC deputy chairperson Dr Tan Seng Giaw said this in response to Hasan, who admitted that he had deleted sentences from the final report by the PAC on 1MDB.

Acknowledging how Hasan had admitted that he did alter something in the report, Tan said Hasan could also call a PAC meeting to rectify the situation.

“An MP, who is not a PAC member, may propose a motion in the House to take action, such as reference to the rights and privileges committee,” Tan told Malaysiakini .

However, he contended that the standing orders do not state that a PAC member cannot table a motion to refer another member to the committee of privileges.

Asked why PAC members should not do so themselves, Tan pointed out how Hasan had already admitted his mistake.

“In a society, if a person admits he had done something (wrong), do you whack him further? You don’t, do you?” he asked.

Tan also echoed his party colleague Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua’s view that once there is consensus on a particular matter in a PAC meeting, it should not be changed unless there is further consultation among the members.

Deleted because of 'unclear status'

Pua on Tuesday claimed that Hasan had cut out a sentence in the report on the Low Taek Jho-linked firm Good Star Ltd.

He said the sentence deleted reads: "Bank Negara Malaysia had been informed voluntarily by the authorities of that country that Good Star Limited is a company owned by an individual that has no links to PetroSaudi Group."

This sentence, Pua said, had been approved by all PAC members in their working draft but it did not appear in the final published report.

Hasan in his response said the deletion of two sentences in no way affected the final report by the PAC on 1MDB.

Hasan had said that the sentences were deleted because of their unclear status or that they were being investigated and were not for public consumption.

"This was told to all PAC members during the tabling of the report before all PAC members on April 7,” he claimed.