The Penang Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has wrapped up its investigations into the 'King of Tennis' debacle and would submit its report to the State Legislative Assembly speaker Abdul Halim Hussain by this week.

The PAC members, who are from both sides of the House, sat last week to finalise their preliminary findings into the fiasco, which has become a source of embarrassment to the Pakatan Rakyat state government led by Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

penang pac on tennis match 271108 panel "We have reached unanimous consensus to conclude our inquiry," said PAC head Jagdeep Singh Deo ( photo, centre ), the DAP Datuk Keramat assemblyperson, adding that the committee would not be calling or recalling any more witnesses.

"Since most PAC members plan to go for their year-end vacation, we would finalise our findings and submit our report to the House hopefully by this Friday," he said.

A nine-member PAC inquiry panel - 2 DAP, 2 PKR, 1 PAS and 4 Umno - conducted two inquiry sessions on Nov 21 and Nov 27 into the 'King of Tennis' debacle, calling five witnesses to assist its investigation.

penang pac on tennis match 271108 meeting Jagdeep has earlier said PAC may recall, if necessary, any of the five or call up new witnesses to assist its inquiry if the panel needs further clarification on certain issues.

Although the five witnesses cooperated with the inquiry panel, they have apparently given conflicting versions of what had transpired.

Penang Island Municipal Council (MPPP) officials - president Zainal Rahim Seman, secretary Tan Cheng Chui and community service department director Mohamad Ismail Ibrahim - gave testimonies in the first session.

Meanwhile, state executive councillor Danny Law Heng Kiang, who oversees the tourism development, culture, arts and heritage portfolios, and event organiser Arianna Teoh, accompanied by her legal counsel Walter Teoh, attended the second .

Makeshift structure built without approval

PAC probe was not intended to find fault, but to investigate whether the lack of accountability in administrative process and communications, and irregularities in application of local council rules and regulations, among others, had caused the prestigious event to be cancelled.

pac probe king of tennis 151108 tennis court Jagdeep hinted that the probe had found serious shortcomings in communications among the parties involved - the council, Danny Law's office and Arianna Teoh, prior to the cancellation of the prestigious tournament.

The PAC probe also revealed irregularities in the application of local government rules and a lack of competency in the administrative process.

The tournament organiser had erected the makeshift stadium structure - which is yet to be fully dismantled - without proper documentation such as letter of request, council permit and rental agreement.

In a move to support the event, the council, following state directives, had also waived the rental deposit for organiser Teoh.

In its report, PAC will make recommendations on actions and rectifications to be undertaken by relevant bodies to resolve the controversy and prevent a recurrence of such an incident in the future.

"Our report would include indepth findings and recommendations on all aspects of the issue," Jagdeep told Malaysiakini today.

Besides Jagdeep, others in the inquiry panel were Koay Teng Hai (DAP-Pulau Tikus), Sim Tze Tzin (PKR-Pantai Jerejak) and Maktar Shapee (PKR-Sungai Bakap) of Pakatan Rakyat; and Syed Ameruddin Syed Ahmad (Umno-Bayan Lepas), Muhammad Farid Saad (Umno-Pulau Betong) and Ariff Shah Omar Shah (Umno-Seberang Jaya) from the opposition.

Two more PAC members - Mohd Hamdan Abdul Rahman (PAS-Permatang Pasir) and Dr Hilmi Yahaya (Umno-Teluk Bahang) - were absent from both sessions.

However, Hilmi attended the PAC meeting to finalise its inquiry findings last Friday.

Teoh ordered to pay RM800,000

The prestigious ‘King of Tennis’ event was scheduled to be held from Nov 14-17 on a makeshift grass court within a 5,000-seat open-air stadium at the Esplanade field.

Tennis greats like John McEnroe, Pete Sampras, Bjorn Borg and James Blake had been invited to take part.

pac probe king of tennis 151108 dismantle The cancellation led to criticism of the competency of the Pakatan Rakyat state government and local municipal council. Critics raised question on whether ratepayers' money would be use to repair the damaged field.

The council has already summoned Teoh to pay some RM800,000 for rental, field repair works and other general damages, after she failed to reply to its two-week notice of demand dated Nov 14.