Opposition stalwart Lim Kit Siang wants the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) tasked with investigating the now suspended billion-ringgit Eurocopter deal to step up to the plate and summon Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to explain his part in the controversy.

Najib, who was defence minister when the decision was made to purchase the helicopters, must be held accountable, said Lim.

lim kit siang 030606 "PAC should summon Najib to its Eurocopter hearing and not just call up civil servants as he was the defence minister at that time of the (Eurocopter) decision-making", the DAP leader said in a statement today.

He further blasted PAC chairperson, Azmi Khalid, for not summoning the deputy premier to testify and justify the billion-ringgit procurement of 12 Eurocopter Cougar EC725 helicopters.

najib tun razak 040808 "He (Najib) needs to justify the procurement of the Eurocopters without any physical evaluation and test flights, citing previous instances in the Defence Ministry of such exemptions or even cases of other governments buying billion-ringgit aircrafts without any test flight," said Lim.

Last Thursday, Defence Deputy Minister Abu Seman Yusop was slammed by Pakatan Rakyat MPs in Parliament when he openly conceded that the multi-billion ringgit military helicopters did not undergo any physical inspection.

PAC chairperson must remain impartial

The Ipoh Timur MP also questioned the rationale of allowing Azmi to chair the PAC, saying it was "most unsuitable and completely unthinkable for a political junior who was used to taking orders from the deputy prime minister" to head the inquiry.

azmi khalid "If the PAC had been headed by a senior opposition parliamentarian, there would be no such qualms and self-denying limitations, and Najib would be put to the test as to whether he fully believes in the concept of parliamentary democracy in responding positively to any PAC call to testify before it," Lim said.

The opposition stalwart added that Azmi should not be influenced by anyone.

"The PAC chairman Azmi Khalid should not be browbeaten or influenced by both the prime minister and deputy prime minister who had clearly hinted that the PAC should not create waves in its inquiry, as Abdullah (Ahmad Badawi) has dismissed the three sets of different pricing for the Eurocopter deal given by the government as ‘ academic ’ , while Najib has sought to ridicule the opposition for ‘making a meal’ of the Eurocopter procurement," Lim said

helicopter military eurocopter cougor ec 725 troop transporter He said the inquiry was not academic as it raised "grave issues about propriety, accountability and professionalism in the decision-making process, whether at the technical, offset or price stages".

Lim also ticked off Finance Ministry secretary-general Dr Wan Abdul Aziz Wan Abdullah for failing to appear before the PAC.

"Wan Abdul Aziz is setting a bad example of civil service leadership and is guilty of parliamentary contempt in claiming that he was busy with other duties.

"What is the nature of his other duties that he is prepared to commit parliamentary contempt by not appearing before the PAC when summoned?" asked Lim.

The inquiry, which was supposed to be held last Thursday has been postponed to Monday as Wan Abdul Aziz failed to turn up to testify before the hearing, citing his packed schedule.